A woman was beheaded with a sword in the streets of a Bay Area neighborhood in California on Thursday in front of stunned witnesses, according to reports.
The victim, a woman in her 20s with two daughters who has not officially been identified by police, knew her suspected killer, according to law enforcement. The two had been in a relationship apparently marred by domestic violence.
Law enforcement sources told KGO-TV that in April the victim had obtained a temporary restraining order against the man, identified as Jose Solano Landaeta of Hayward. Landaeta is now into custody after being arrested at the scene of the beheading, where authorities said he returned.
According to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department, deputies were called on the scene of the incident around 11:50 a.m. on Thursday.
"Deputies were flagged down in the area of Magnolia and Laurel in the city of San Carlos by witnesses reporting an assault in progress," the department wrote on Twitter.
"Deputies arrived within minutes and located an adult female, deceased. Shortly after, the suspect returned to the scene and was detained by deputies. He has since been placed under arrest for murder."
Police called the attack "an isolated incident" and said there was no outstanding threat to the community.
While authorities have only spoken of the victim as being killed with a stabbing instrument, unidentified law enforcement sources told KGO-TV that the woman had been beheaded.
Law enforcement records obtained by KGO-TV show that just before noon on Thursday reports came in that the woman's head had been cut off by a sword. At 12:14 p.m., the notes indicated "Children are there, scared to come ... want their mom."
The woman's children were not present at the scene of the beheading, according to the Sheriff's Department. According to KGO-TV's reports, the two young girls were then inside the home.
During a press conference held on the same day of the murder, Lt. Eamon Allen said the weapon "is still outstanding" and deputies are looking to locate the stabbing instrument.
Sheriff's deputies and onlookers who witnessed the brutal murder are being offered counseling, according to law enforcement.
"Anytime someone loses their life it's certainly a tragedy," Allen said during Thursday's press conference.
"As far as the shocking nature of it, I do know that the deputies that first arrived on scene were a little beset by the scene. We are providing peer support, we are also providing support for the witnesses that were on scene as well, because there were several civilian witnesses."