CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a man for the fatal stabbing of a Clearlake resident earlier this month.

James Laurence Mongi, 46, was taken into custody on Monday morning, according to a Det. Sgt. Martin Snyder of the Clearlake Police Department.

Police say Mongi was responsible for the fatal stabbing on Feb. 4 of 55-year-old Richard Garner Jr. of Clearlake.

Garner died following an early morning confrontation in the 14000 block of Walnut Avenue. When officers responded to the scene, they were led by witnesses into a small residence where they found Garner, suffering with an apparent stab wound to his neck area, Snyder said.

Snyder said Garner was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for emergency medical treatment, dying there a short time later.

Clearlake Police Department detectives continued the investigation for several weeks, conducting interviews with numerous witnesses and involved persons, Snyder said.

Through the investigation, Snyder said detectives developed probable cause that the person responsible for the stabbing was Mongi.

Snyder said detectives obtained an arrest and search warrant for Mongi's person and property, and at 9 a.m. Monday they went to the 14500 block of Walnut Avenue to serve the warrant.

A male adult, later identified as Mongi, answered the door and was taken into custody without incident. Snyder said detectives remained on scene and processed the residence for evidence.

Afterwards, Mongi was booked into the Lake County Jail for the outstanding warrant for the charge of homicide and assault with a deadly weapon, with bail seat at $1,025,000, Snyder said.

Jail records showed that Mongi is tentatively scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Friday.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to call Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.