Five women and two men slain early Labor Day at what authorities said was an illegal marijuana growing and processing operation in Aguanga were identified Monday, Sept. 28, by authorities.
Sheriff Chad Bianco has said all seven victims of the Sept. 7 mass shooting were of Laotian descent and that the operation was run by a Laotian organized crime syndicate he believes is based in the United States.
The men were identified as Khamphour Nanthavongdovane, 53, and Vikham Silimanotham, 64.
The women included Khamtoune Silimanotham, 59; Phone Chankhamany, 54; Souphanh Pienthiene, 48; Thongpath Luangkoth, 47; and Samantha Sourignasak, 44.
A Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman declined to disclose Monday whether Vikham Silimanotham and Khamtoune Silimanotham were related. The department released the names.
No arrests have been disclosed in the slayings, which took place on rural property in the 45000 block of Highway 371 and included an illegal marijuana cultivation processing center with a honey oil lab.
Bianco has said there were several suspects.
Deputies seized more than a half ton of processed plants, which Bianco said had a street value of $1 million to $5 million, depending on where the crop would have been sold.
Six of the victims died at the site; the seventh, a woman, was hospitalized but died the same day.
Deputies were called to the scene on a report of shots being fired just after 12:30 a.m. and found the dying woman and the other slaying victims in an area that had a mobile home and a house adjacent, but also tents that appeared to be outfitted for living, with blankets and clothing inside.
