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Friend of Orcutt homicide victims reflects on devastating loss

Posted at 9:50 PM, Dec 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-31 02:50:06-05

Friends and family of the McNabbs and Carlos Echavarria are grieving Sunday, as questions still remain about what lead to their murders.

For Arroyo Grande resident, Frank Miranda, he found out his childhood best friend Carlos was killed via Facebook messenger He says he’s now struggling to process what happened to Echavarria, one of three people police say was killed by David McNabb Jr. Friday night.

“I was really surprised. I’m thinking, Carlos was big man – it had to have taken a lot of power to overcome him,” Miranda said.

Echavarria and Miranda have known each other since they were five years old.  David McNabb, Melanie’s late husband, later moved on their street as well.

“We were just a big bond. We didn’t do anything without each other,” Miranda said.

One day Echavarria took Miranda and McNabb to church, and that’s where they met Melanie.

“She was just a little sweetheart. When her and David connected – it was love at first sight,” said Miranda.

As news continues to circulate about what may have led to the killings, Miranda now doesn’t plan to take any day for granted.

“You gotta think and realized tomorrow’s not promised. When they woke up Friday morning, they didn’t think that was the last day they were going to see.”

David McNabb was killed by sheriffs deputies on scene.  The motive behind these murders is still under investigation.