On November 24th, 2015, Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a body located in a freezer at 109 Woodrow Ave. in Oildale. Deputies arrived and confirmed there was a deceased body in the freezer. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
The decedent was later identified as 62 year old Diane Hugo. Detectives learned Hugo had lived at the residence for several years with her husband and son. Hugo’s husband passed away over a year earlier, and Hugo and her son, 37 year old Brian Taylor, continued living in the home together.
Detectives spoke to several neighbors who reported that Hugo had not been seen outside of the residence since the end of summer. Taylor had told neighbors that Hugo was having medical issues and was not able to come outside.
In early October, Taylor was no longer seen by neighbors at the residence and the home began attracting squatters. On November 24th, 2015, a squatter entered the home and began looking around inside the residence. He found a freezer in the house and opened it. Inside he located Hugo’s body and a deceased dog. The squatter went outside and asked neighbors to call the Sheriff’s Office, which they did.
An autopsy was completed on Hugo and her cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound and the manner of death was homicide.
Detectives began attempting to locate Taylor and learned that Taylor had committed suicide in San Luis Obispo County on October 3rd, 2015. The Kern County District Attorney’s Office Crime Lab analyzed the gun Taylor used to commit suicide and confirmed it was the same gun used to murder Hugo.
After completing this investigation, the case is now closed.
