Jesus Salgado: Man, accused of killing family of four over feud, charged with 4 counts murder, kidnapping
Update: Alberto Salgado, the brother of Jesus Selgado was booked on suspicion of conspiracy and destroying evidence, Merced County Sheriff's officials said.
Jesus been unable to speak to investigators due to his medical condition, authorities have said.
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Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime that can be triggering to some. Readers' discretion is advised
MERCED COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Jesus Salgado, 48, who was arrested in connection with kidnapping and killing of a California Sikh family of four has been charged with four counts of murder and four counts of kidnapping and was booked into Merced County Jail Thursday, October 6, the sheriff’s office said. Salgado was arrested in Merced on October 4 after he allegedly used the ATM card of one of the family members after kidnapping them.
Salgado was transferred to jail from a hospital, where he was recovering as he attempted to commit suicide after killing the family. Salgado kidnapped the family at gunpoint, victim Jasleen Kaur, 27, was kidnapped along with her husband Jasdeep Singh, 36, their eight-month-old daughter Aroohi Dheri and her brother-in-law Amandeep Singh, 39, from their newly-opened trucking business on Monday, October 3 and murdered them, in what local authorities called an act of “pure evil.”
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The news of their death comes after police released disturbing surveillance footage of the family being kidnapped at gunpoint. Their bodies were discovered by a farm worker late Wednesday in an almond orchard in a remote area near the town of Dos Palos. Salgado was a former employee of the family’s trucking business and had a year-long feud with them, police said. Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said the brutal killing spree was one of the worst crimes he’s investigated in his 43 years in law enforcement. “There’s some things you’ll take to the grave,” Warnke said. “This to me was pure evil,” reports New York Post.
#Mercedkidnapping | Jasdeep and Amandeep are zip tied and led out to Amandeep's black pickup. The suspect leaves with them at 9:13 and returns at 9:19. The black pickup would later be found burned. pic.twitter.com/OaobK8mUZ6
— Millie (@MillieMoo1212) October 5, 2022
Salgado was captured on surveillance video leading the Singh brothers, who had their hands zip-tied into the back of Amandeep Singh’s pickup truck and then drove off. He allegedly returned several minutes later and led Jasleen Kaur with her baby in her arms from the trailer into the truck and again drove off. Hours later, the same truck was found on fire in a nearby town. Authorities have not released a cause of death or stated the condition of the victim's remains.
#MercedKidnapping | At 9:19 the suspect returns to the scene and leads Jasleen and her 8 mth old daughter Aroohi to the pickup and are seen leaving southbound Hwy 59. pic.twitter.com/JEeS0ntxo8
— Millie (@MillieMoo1212) October 5, 2022
Warnke has however said the family was likely killed within an hour of being kidnapped on Monday morning. Warnke also noted that the baby’s body had no visible trauma and an autopsy will be conducted to figure out how the child died. Police are seeking a person of interest in the horrific slayings who is believed to have acted as Salgado’s accomplice. Salgado served eight years in prison for a 2015 armed robbery in which he held another family whose trucking company he also had worked for before being fired with the use of a firearm in Merced County and threatened to kill them.