| For Immediate Release Case # TBA August 8, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING UNCLE IN LA PALMA BEFORE DUMPING AND BURNING BODY IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
SANTA ANA – A man has been charged with murdering his uncle and dumping the victim’s body in a remote area of Santa Barbara County after setting it on fire in an attempt to destroy the evidence. Kirk Michael Galvin, 23, La Palma, is charged with one felony count of murder and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. He is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned today, Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
On July 27, 2011, Kirk Galvin is accused of murdering his 53-year-old uncle Douglas Galvin. The defendant is accused of committing the murder in his father’s La Palma apartment while his father was out of town. Kirk Galvin is accused of driving the victim’s murdered body to Santa Barbara County, dumping in a remote area, and attempting to destroy the body by setting it on fire. He is accused of then fleeing the scene.
On July 30, 2011, two people found Douglas Galvin’s burned body while out on a walk and contacted the police. Following an investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and La Palma Police Department, Kirk Galvin was arrested Aug. 5, 2011.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Randy Litwin at (714) 347-8492 or La Palma Police Detective Jesse Amend at (714) 690-3376.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
###