Authorities said that four family members from California, including an eight-month-old girl, were found dead in a rural orchard this week after they were kidnapped at gunpoint earlier in the week.
Vern Warnke, Merced County Sheriff announced that the shocking discovery was made by a farmer in a remote location.
“Our worst fears have been confirmed,”The sheriff responded. “There’s no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident,” Warnke said. “I said it earlier: There’s a special place in hell for this guy.”
Authorities said that the suspect is a convicted criminal robber who attempted to commit suicide one day following Monday’s kidnapping. According to the sheriff, he is still in critical condition.
Investigators are looking for motives in the murder and abduction of Aroohi Dri’s mother Jasleen Kaur (27 years old), her father Jasdeep Singh (36 years), and her uncle Amandeep Singh (39 years).
“We have a whole family wiped out and for what? We don’t know yet,” Warnke said.
“We’re hoping that they can now at least have some kind of closure,”Warnke spoke highly of the relatives. “It’s not the closure we were hoping for; it’s not the closure they were hoping for.”
The relatives begged for the return of their loved one. “Please help us out, come forward, so my family comes home safe,”Sukhdeep, a brother of victims, stated earlier this week.
The family was taken from the newly opened trucking business in Merced. The surveillance footage shows two men being led from a backdoor, with their hands tied, at gunpoint. The video then shows the mother holding her child as he leads her out of the building with a gunman.
The suspect has not yet been charged. He was identified as 48-year-old Jesus Salgado, who previously served eight months in prison after being convicted of convicted of first-degree robbery with the use of a firearm in Merced County, as well as attempted false imprisonment and an attempt to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness, authorities said.
Salgado was freed in 2015 after serving three years of probation according to officials.
Salgado, previously named as a person of concern in the case was now considered a suspect. Warnke stated. Warnke confirmed that Salgado has been in contact with investigators.
“The circumstances around this, when we are able to release everything, should anger the hell out of you,”Warnke was visibly emotional during Wednesday’s press conference. While Warnke was emotional during Wednesday’s press conference, the sheriff stated that other people may have been involved with the abductions. He did not give any further details.
It was not clear how the family was killed. Warnke stated that the bodies were found in close proximity in the orchard.