LOWELL – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon have confirmed that Dustin Defrietas, 19, of Lowell, who was being sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Sakdara Khoeun, 19, last week in Lowell, has been arrested in California.

On November 22, Sakdara Khoeun was brought to a local hospital by his friends after suffering a gunshot wound at a party at a Lowell residence. He was pronounced dead later that day. After learning about the alleged shooting, police subsequently were able to determine that the victim had been shot at a residence on Westford Street in Lowell. Lowell Police and Massachusetts State Police responded to the residence, a search warrant was subsequently granted and executed at the home.

An autopsy later conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Based on the information gathered as part of the ongoing investigation, an arrest warrant was granted for Dustin Defrietas on charges of assault and battery with a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence.

Defrietas was arrested by Stockton, California police earlier this week. He is expected to be transported back to Massachusetts for arraignment at a later date not yet scheduled.

This case is under investigation by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Lowell Police. The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Christopher Tarrant. The Victim Witness Advocate is Dora Quiroz.