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2 Transients Arrested In Murder Of Santa Cruz Woman

SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- Two transients were arrested for the murder of a Santa Cruz County resident and detectives believe the motive was a robbery, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an unconscious woman at a home in the 800 block of Graham Hill Road. The victim, 55-year-old Kimberly Smith, was deceased by the time deputies arrived.

The cause of death was not specified by the sheriff's office.

Santa Cruz homicide suspects transients
Huynh (left) and Crenshaw (right) {photo: Santa Cruz Co. Sheriff's Office]

Detectives were able to identify two suspects believed to be directly involved in the homicide: Caitlin Crenshaw and Cody Huynh, both 23 years old and both transients, authorities said.

Deputies arrested the suspects on Wednesday. Huynh was located in San Bernadino County, where he was in jail for separate charges. Crenshaw was also located in San Bernadino County in Smith's car. Detectives took Crenshaw into custody without incident. The suspects' motive in the murder was robbery, authorities said.

Huynh and Crenshaw were booked into Santa Cruz County jail and booked on murder and robbery charges. They're being held on no bail. The sheriff's office is working with the Santa Cruz District Attorney on the case as they continue investigating.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call (831) 454-7635.

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