Alvin Otis Johnson, 42, of Camarillo, was arrested in the attacks, in which victims were stabbed, pistol-whipped and possibly shot, according to Capt. Dean Worthy with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
The department says several people were traveling together in a car in western Ventura County near Oxnard when the suspect stabbed one of the other occupants, a 33-year-old man. Johnson allegedly drove off in that same car and ended up at a condo in Camarillo.
While sheriff's investigators were searching for the suspect, a 911 call was made from the 3400 block of Huerta Avenue in Camarillo. At the same time, a 47-year-old man showed up at the Camarillo police station and reported an assault at the home, saying he had been pistol-whipped.
Deputies arrived at the home and found Johnson, who matched the suspect description. He had a gun but was taken into custody.
Inside the home, deputies found a 75-year-old woman with major injuries. They tried to render medical aid but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her 78-year-old husband was also injured, as was a 51-year-old man.
Initial reports indicated a shooting at the home, but investigators were working to confirm if the victims were shot or possibly stabbed.
Detectives haven't revealed what led up to either attack, only saying it was not random.
"It sounds like drugs played a factor, and the question I know you're going to ask is what's the connection with the suspect to this residence here on Huerta," Worthy said. "They do have a loose affiliation with each other."
The connections between the suspect and victims, as well as the motive for the violence spree, remains under investigation.