Norwalk man accused of murder captured near Sacramento

Robert Puga’s booking photo.

NORWALK – A 23-year-old Norwalk man was arrested Monday on charges that he shot and killed a man in Whittier last month.

Whittier police officers responded to the railroad tracks on the 12300 block of Slauson Avenue on May 20 after receiving reports of shots fired. Officers found two men with gunshot wounds.

One of the men was taken to a hospital where he survived his injuries. The other victim, 25-year-old Brandon Santos of Pico Rivera, died at the scene.

Detectives identified Robert Puga, of Norwalk, as a suspect and tracked him to Northern California. With help from the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department, he was arrested in Dunnigan, a small town north of Sacramento.

Puga was charged with murder and is in custody while awaiting trial. His bond was set at $3,075,000.