Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced that charges have been filed against Christopher Van Vlack, a 32-year-old resident of Santa Barbara for the murder of his mother on September 28, 2025.
Van Vlack is charged with First Degree Murder of his 72-year-old mother, Lynn Areno, with Premeditation and Deliberation, and alleges the Special Circumstances that the murder was committed by means of lying in wait and/or for financial gain.
On Sunday at approximately 7:33 p.m., deputies responded to the 5500-block of Armitos Avenue for a welfare check on Areno. When deputies arrived, they discovered Areno was deceased…