MERCED, Calif. — The Merced community is reeling after a family was kidnapped and killed in the first week of October. One person has been arrested and is suspected of killing the family, but law enforcement says the investigation isn't done yet.
“I believe that he had someone else with him and at least helping him do some of the things. As far as the homicide itself, we are going to let the evidence take us where it needs to take us,” Merced County Sheriff Vernon Warnke said.
Here is a timeline of the investigation.
October 3: Deputies said 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, mother Jasleen Kaur (27), father Jasdeep Singh (36) and the baby's uncle Amandeep Singh (39) were taken against their will from their trucking business near South Highway 59.
October 4: The sheriff’s office identified a person of interest as 48-year-old Jesus Manuel Salgado. The sheriff's office said Salgado tried to kill himself prior to law enforcement involvement, but he was then taken into custody in critical condition.
October 5 morning: Merced County Sheriff Vernon Warnke said money could be connected to the kidnapping since one of the victim's ATM cards was used in the city of Atwater after the kidnapping.
October 5 evening: The Merced County Sheriff's Office said the family was found dead. The sheriff said the family was found in an extremely remote rural farm area.
October 6: Salgado was booked into jail and is suspected of killing the family. Salgado was a former employee who had a longstanding dispute with the family that “got pretty nasty,” Sheriff Warnke said. Relatives of the slain family told investigators Salgado sent angry text messages or emails about a year ago after working with their trucking business, Warnke said.
October 7: The Merced County Sheriff's Office said Alberto Salgado, the brother of Jesus Salgado, was arrested on October 6. Alberto Salgado was arrested on suspicion of criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence.
Watch more on ABC10: Merced family kidnapped, killed | Community holds vigil to remember Merced family
