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Prosecutors charge man in California family’s kidnapping, slaying

This undated photo provided by Merced County Sheriff's Office shows family members who authorities are seeking the public's help in finding after they were kidnapped on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. Sheriff’s officials in central California released photos of a possible suspect in the kidnapping of four members of the family, including an 8-month-old child. The Merced County Sheriff’s Office said the child’s mother, father and uncle were taken against their will at gunpoint from a business in the city of Merced, Calif. (Merced County Sheriff's Office via AP)
by: WRTV Staff
Posted: / Updated:

Prosecutors in California announced Monday that the man accused of kidnapping and killing four family members, including an 8-month-old baby, has been charged.

The Merced County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that Jesus Salgado was charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors allege that Salgado kidnapped Aroohi Dheri; her 27-year-old mother, Jasleen Kaur; her 36-year-old father, Jasdeep Singh; and her 39-year-old uncle Amandeep Singh at gunpoint from their trucking business on Oct. 3, the news outlet reported.

Two days later, a farm worker found their bodies in Dos Palos, California, USA Today.

Authorities say Salgado was a former employee that had a longstanding feud with them that “got pretty nasty,” the news outlet reported.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into the family’s disappearance began when Amandeep Singh’s truck was found on fire in Winton, California.

When other family members could not get ahold of them, they were reported missing, the sheriff’s office said.

Merced County Sheriff’s Office said that during a search of the family’s business, they found surveillance footage that captured a suspect abducting the family at gunpoint and leading them away in Amandeep Singh’s truck.

Through the investigation, the sheriff’s office named Jesus Salgado a person of interest after he used a victim’s ATM card.

Authorities said Salgado attempted suicide when deputies found him, so he was held in the hospital for two days before being booked into jail.

Jesus Salgado’s brother, Alberto Salgado, was arrested last week on suspicion of criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence.

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