SHERIFF: Suspect in family’s kidnapping, murder was former driver at their trucking company

The suspected kidnapper and murderer of a California family was once a driver at their trucking company, investigators say. 

Jesus Salgado has been booked into jail on multiple counts, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday night, October 6th. Salgado is facing four counts each of kidnapping and murder charges.

The family was kidnapped from their trucking company on Monday, October 3rd, and was found dead outside of some rural farmland on Wednesday, October 5th. The mother, father, and uncle are believed to have been killed at the scene where they were found, but the 8-month-old baby was determined to have died from exposure after being left for dead, reported ABC 30.

According to ABC 10, Salgado was once a truck driver with the family’s trucking company, Unison Trucking, but has since held an ongoing dispute over money with the family that “got pretty nasty.” Relatives of the deceased family say that Salgado had sent the family multiple angry text messages and emails about a year ago after driving for their business. 

Investigators are still questioning Salgado about an accomplice to the crime. 

 “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,” Sheriff Vern Warnke said.

Salgado is currently being held in jail after attempting to take his own life before his arrest on Tuesday.