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Two arrested for beating man to death with pipe in Chula Vista

Posted at 2:16 PM, Jun 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-27 17:16:03-04

CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - Two people are behind bars after police say they beat a man to death in a South Bay parking lot last week.

Chula Vista Police Tuesday arrested Austin Kirchner, 22, and Kevin Haynes, 23, for the murder of 40-year-old Rafael Cabrera on June 19.

Police said the two men got into an altercation with Cabrera in a parking lot at 900 Marina Way just before 9 p.m. Cabrera's girlfriend was at the scene as well, police added. It wasn't clear how the argument began.

Police say one of the two men grabbed Cabrera, allowing the other to strike him in the head with a metal pipe, before continuing to beat him with the pipe.

The two men then fled before police arrived.

Cabrera was taken to the hospital with major head injuries. He was placed on life support before he died from his injuries on June 21.

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Witness statements and evidence collected at the scene led police to the two men. Kirchner and Haynes have been charged with one count of murder each.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call CVPD at 619-422-8477.