Masseuse Rearrested On Suspicion Of Murder In Client's Death At Long Beach Beauty Salon
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A masseuse arrested three years ago in connection with the suspicious death of a customer at a Long Beach beauty salon was back behind bars, police announced Wednesday.
They rearrested Sandra Gonzalez, 48, Tuesday on suspicion of murder for the 2014 death of Hamilet Suares at Areli's Beauty Salon at 2113 Pacific Avenue, police said.
The 36-year-old victim went to the salon for a massage. But before the massage began, she went into cardiac arrest under suspicious circumstances and later died, according to a police press release.
"It was kind of shocking for all of us," said Suares' cousin John Hernandez. "We have so many questions. We don't have any answers. So we've got to deal with it."
Detectives have not said what procedure Suares underwent or exactly what may have killed her. But they did find controlled substances at the salon used for cosmetic procedures that Gonzalez was advertising, but not licensed to perform.
They included butt augmentation, lip augmentation and "vampire facelifts," where a gel-like substance derived from the patient's own blood is injected to reduce wrinkles.
On Feb. 12, 2014, Gonzalez was arrested after Suares' death but was later released.
Now, investigators say they have evidence to prove that Gonzalez committed murder.
Suares' family did not want to comment on the murder charge.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be arraigned at the Long Beach Courthouse Thursday. Her bail is set at $2 million.