Accused Sexual Assault Defendant Dies in Santa Barbara County Nursing Facility
Ernest Lattimer, a 79-year-old Orcutt man accused of sexual assault of four young girls and held in custody, has died at Villa Maria Post Acute, a nursing facility in Santa Barbara County where he was receiving medical care.
Santa Barbara Santa Maria San Luis Obispo, CA, October 5, 2026 —
Ernest Lattimer, a 79-year-old resident of Orcutt, has died while in custody. Lattimer passed away at Villa Maria Post Acute, a nursing facility located in Santa Barbara County. The facility was where he was receiving medical care.
Lattimer was accused of sexual assault involving four young girls. He had been held in custody in connection with these allegations.
At the time of his death, Lattimer was a patient at Villa Maria Post Acute. The summary provided does not specify the date of his death or the cause of death. Information regarding the nature of the medical care he was receiving was also not detailed in the provided summary.
Further details concerning the legal proceedings or the circumstances leading to his transfer for medical care were not included in the information provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Janene Scully, Noozhawk North County Editor on www.noozhawk.com, see more information here.
