Who is Rotherie Foster? Man charged with murdering plumber months after remains found in mountains
VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Months after a plumber's bullet-riddled body was found by hikers on a California mountain, a man has been accused of killing the plumber. Rotherie Foster has been charged with murdering his work acquaintance, Jose Velasquez, according to Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko's statement released on Tuesday, January 17.
In 2016, Velasquez, 35, moved to California from his native Honduras to make a living in Simi Valley as a plumber. He then relocated to Camarillo in 2021 after he obtained his general contractor’s license. The plumber was reported missing three days after he was last seen on July 27, 2022. At the time, he told his family he was going to Thousand Oaks for drinks and to spend time with his friends. On August 1, 2022, his abandoned work van was found four miles from the Janss Marketplace shopping center, reports Los Angeles Times.
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Who is Rotherie Foster?
Rotherie Foster, the accused murderer of Jose Valesques was arrested on Friday, January 17. According to reports, he has intentionally killed his work acquaintance for financial gain. Since mid-August, the accused was already in prison as he was charged with counts of identity theft of which some of the charges were dismissed in November 2022. After a loaded handgun was found inside his car along with a high-capacity magazine, he was soon re-arrested on weapons charges.
According to the news release, Foster has also been charged with eight counts of identity theft, and two counts of forgery. Being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, Foster is facing several prior strike charges. In connection to the murder of Velasquez, Foster who is currently held on $2 million bail will appear at the Ventura County Superior Court for his scheduled arraignment on Wednesday, January 18 afternoon.
Jose Valesquez's remains were found in California
On October 3, 2022, the bullet-riddled body of Valesquez was discovered by a couple who were hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains off Mulholland Highway in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The body of the missing plumber was found wrapped in a tarp which was tied around with a bungee cord, according to The Acorn.
“Jose was an incredibly hard worker who was starting his own plumbing business when his life was viciously and cruelly cut short,” states Nasarenko in the news release and revealed that the plumber died from multiple gunshot wounds as determined by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.