LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — A 36-year-old man who neighbors described as living under the supervision of round-the-clock caregivers has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his mother after she was found dead inside a home in the upscale coastal city.

On Monday, July 20, 2026, at approximately 11 a.m., Laguna Beach Police Department officers responded to a property in the 1300 block of Dunning Drive in the Rim Rock Canyon area for a death investigation. They discovered 61-year-old Angela Caprioli, of Maine, deceased at the scene.

Authorities initially identified a 36-year-old man as a person of interest and stated there was no threat to the public. On Thursday, July 23, police announced the arrest of Safford Wolfson, 36, who was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of murder under California Penal Code Section 187. Police Lt. Jesse Schmidt said the two are related and the case appears to be domestic-related.

Wolfson had moved into the Dunning Drive home about six months earlier. Caprioli arrived more recently—about a week before her death—arriving in a red pickup truck loaded with boxes and flat-screen televisions, according to neighbors.

Neighbor Dustin Pettit reported witnessing a tense confrontation between Caprioli and Wolfson shortly before the incident. “I saw her outside talking with him and it seemed like a pretty hostile conversation. She turned around and went inside and slammed the door, like she was fed up with whatever was going on,” Pettit said. He described Wolfson as reclusive and mysterious, noting that he would occasionally come outside to smoke cigarettes or play guitar but otherwise kept to himself.

Another neighbor’s son told local media that caregivers appeared to be present at the residence around the clock. The property itself had long been considered an eyesore in the neighborhood due to overgrown vegetation, and police had been called to the address frequently over the years.

Social media accounts associated with Wolfson identify him as transgender. An X account under his name described the user as a “trans girl looking for fun in LA,” while a TikTok account featured videos of him dancing in dresses, miniskirts, crop tops, and underwear. In a 2024 Facebook post, Wolfson wrote: “Not even my mom wants to hang out with me man… talk about lame-o!” Family photos on Caprioli’s Facebook page showed the pair smiling together in earlier years.

Wolfson’s LinkedIn profile stated that he co-founded Kevin’s House LLC, a Southern California dual-diagnosis sober living and assisted adult care facility for people facing mental health challenges. Caprioli described herself as the founder of Kevin’s House on her own Facebook profile.

Laguna Beach police, assisted by the Orange County Crime Lab, continue to investigate the circumstances of Caprioli’s death. No cause of death, motive, or additional details have been released. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Corporal Alan Cintas at 949-715-1262.

An arrest contains only allegations that a suspect has committed a crime. Every suspect is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Sources

• Orange County Register
• New York Post