The Merced County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that its focus has turned “to the prosecution of this horrific crime” after the bodies of four family members, including an 8-month-old girl, were found in an almond orchard in California on Wednesday.
The family was abducted at gunpoint Monday from their trucking business in Merced, California, authorities said.
“With the assistance of the California Department of Justice, investigators have been processing the scene since last night,” read a statement posted on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page Thursday. “We are not releasing any details about the crime scene or speculation on any motive or cause of death as this is an ongoing investigation. As soon as we are able to give more details we will. Again, our focus has now turned to the prosecution of this case.”
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said a farmworker found the bodies of the victims in a Central Valley almond orchard around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and alerted authorities.
“Tonight, our worst fears have been confirmed,” Warnke said at a news conference Wednesday night.
Earlier that day, the sheriff’s office released surveillance video of a man apparently kidnapping 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri; her mother, Jasleen Kaur, 27; father, Jasdeep Singh, 36; and uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39. They were forcibly taken from their office on Monday, according to police.
The family operated Unison Trucking of Merced. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s SAFER website lists the trucking company, which hauls general freight nationwide, as having 13 power units and the same number of drivers.
The sheriff’s office said it launched its investigation just before noon Monday after the California Highway Patrol found a black 2020 Dodge Ram truck on fire. Authorities said surveillance video showed the pickup truck, belonging to one of the victims, Amandeep Singh, was used in the alleged kidnapping.
On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said a suspect, Jesus Salgado, 48, was being questioned and receiving medical treatment after trying to take his life.
Authorities took Salgado into custody as a person of interest Tuesday after he reportedly admitted to at least one person that he was involved in the kidnapping.
According to the sheriff’s office, Salgado had tried to kill himself before law enforcement arrived. He was taken to an area hospital and was in critical condition.
As of publication Thursday afternoon, Salgado has not been charged in this case.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information on the case to call 209-385-7547.
“There’s just no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident,” Warnke said at the news conference.
This is a developing story.
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