family is kidnapped and killed in California; 8monthold baby is among the victims

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LOS ANGELES — The bodies of four people from the same family, including an eightmonthold baby, were found in countryside near the city on Wednesday, May 5 Mercedesin the middle of Californiaus United States.

the victims are a 27 and 36yearold couple, their 8monthold baby and the child’s 39yearold uncle. They were kidnapped at gunpoint Monday at the family’s truck shop in the city, about 110 miles from Sacramento, the sheriff’s office said.

“Tonight our worst fears were confirmed, we found the four people involved in the kidnapping dead,” he said. Vernon WarnkeMerced County Sheriff, in a statement to local media.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke speaks to the press about the kidnapping of a family in California Photo: Andrew Kuhn/The Merced SunStar via AP

Authorities say the motive for the kidnappings and killings is not yet known, but the 48yearold man suspected of the crime has been stuck since Tuesday after trying to commit suicide in the city atwater. “Right now there are no words to describe the anger I feel and the meaninglessness of this event. I’ve said it before, there’s a place in hell waiting for this guy,” Warnke added.

The police identified the dead as Aroohi Dheri, from 8 months; Her mother, Jasleen Kaur, from 27; your father, Jasdeep Singh, from 36; and the baby’s uncle, Amandeep Singh39 years old.

The bodies were discovered hours after authorities released surveillance footage showing the moment of the kidnapping. According to the Sheriff’s Report, a worker from a nearby rural area reported finding four bodies around 5:30 p.m. local time. Shortly thereafter, security officers arrived at the scene to determine that the bodies belonged to the missing family.

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Footage from surveillance cameras recorded the suspect approaching the two dead men outside the family business on Monday morning.

The images capture the moment he takes a firearm from a white garbage bag, leads his family members into the building, from where they immediately leave with their hands tied. The suspect then puts them in the victim’s own truck, starts the car, and drives away.

Six minutes later, still as seen in the pictures, the man returns to the scene, finds the woman and baby through the back door of the store, and puts them in the same car. After that, the movement is no longer captured by the cameras. Hours later, authorities found the burning vehicle in the town of Winton, less than 12 miles from Merced, and launched an investigation.

On Tuesday, April 4th, the police took Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, after detectives received information that the victims’ cards had been used at a bank in the city of Atwater, also in California. Salgado was considered a “person of interest” for the investigation and was said to have attempted suicide before being confronted by police.

Jesus Salgado was considered a “person of interest” in the investigation into the kidnapping and murder of four people in California. Photo: Merced County Sheriff’s Office via AP

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“The family informed our suspect that they had contacted the police about what he had told them,” Sheriff Warnke said. “And instead of talking to the police, he tried to take his own life.”

Authorities did not provide any additional information about Salgado’s relationship with the murdered family or what he had said about his own family. Authorities have not identified a motive for the kidnapping and are still trying to interrogate him.

Salgado was convicted of armed robbery and false imprisonment in 2005 and jailed and paroled in 2015. Since then, according to the sheriff, the police have had no further contact with the suspect. After that incident, Sheriff Warnke said he hoped the prosecutor would decide “to use the death penalty” if the crime was confirmed. /EFE and NYT