Two women were hospitalized with serious injuries when a man entered the 7-Eleven where they were working and set a fire. The man was later arrested outside of San Diego County.
Around 8 a.m. on Saturday morning (August 24, 2024), Chula Vista officers swiftly responded to a report of a fire at 7-Eleven, located at 899 Broadway in Chula Vista. As they made their way to the scene, the officers received information that an employee might be trapped inside the burning building. Upon arriving, they were met with thick smoke billowing out of the store’s front doors. A woman with severe burns managed to escape the premises, but the officers could still hear a voice coming from inside. Without hesitation, the officers bravely entered the smoke-filled store to search for any other potential victims. To their relief, they discovered another woman who was trapped and suffering from serious burn injuries. Despite her inability to move by herself, the officers managed to rescue her from the building. The arriving fire department personnel promptly extinguished the remaining fire, and no other individuals were found inside.
Two employees of the 7-Eleven where the fire took place were both injured and immediately taken to a nearby hospital. The condition of one of the women is critical, with injuries that are currently considered life-threatening. However, the other woman’s injuries have been updated to serious but non-life-threatening.
Given the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire, the Chula Vista Police detectives and Chula Vista Fire Department arson investigators were called to the scene for further investigation. While the extent of the damage to the store and building is still being assessed, initial findings suggest that the fire was intentionally started by a man who entered the store just before it broke out. It is believed that the man used a flammable liquid, possibly gasoline, to ignite the fire before making his escape in a vehicle.
A Hispanic male wearing a green sweater, possibly with burn marks, was observed fleeing the area in a dark BMW sedan. The investigators quickly gathered information about the vehicle’s license plate and entered it into a criminal database as a felony vehicle. Soon after, officers in Redlands, California, received an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) notification indicating that the BMW was within their city. Utilizing this information, they were able to locate the parked vehicle at a gas station in Redlands.
Jose Carlos Villanueva, a 47-year-old resident of Chula Vista, was apprehended by officers after they engaged with him as the sole occupant of the vehicle. Without any issues, Villanueva was arrested and taken into custody for transportation back to Chula Vista for further processing. The nature of his relationship with the store and its employees is currently under investigation, but there is reason to believe that he is acquainted with at least one of the victims, indicating that this was not a random occurrence.
Even though the store didn’t have any customers at the time, it’s possible that there were people nearby who could have witnessed the incident. This is because the store is situated at the busy intersection of Broadway and L Street in Chula Vista. If anyone has any information regarding the incident, they are urged to get in touch with San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Alternatively, tips can be submitted anonymously online or through the P3tips mobile application.
UPDATE #1:
Tragically, Amanda Buchanan, a 44-year-old resident of Chula Vista, has been identified as one of the victims in this case. She succumbed to her injuries yesterday afternoon at the hospital. Buchanan, who was pulled from the store by responding officers, was previously in a dating relationship with the suspect, Jose Carlos Villanueva. The motive behind his attack is currently being investigated. The other female employee who was injured in the incident is in stable condition at the hospital. However, the Chula Vista Police Department has not released her identity at this time. The case is an active murder investigation and has been referred to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. If you have any information, please contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or submit tips anonymously online or through the P3tips mobile application. For additional inquiries, please reach out to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Chula Vista 7-Eleven Fire Claims One Life, Another Person Sustains Severe Injuries; Suspect Apprehended in Redlands.