Five suspects were arrested Sunday in the shooting deaths of six people during an apparent drug deal gone wrong in a remote area of the California desert, authorities said Monday.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe the victims decided to meet up in the Mojave Desert as part of an “illegal marijuana” sale before the hell broke out. at a press conference Monday night.
Officials said the partially burned bodies of four of the men who died were found in one vehicle, and the other victim was found in a second vehicle.
The sixth victim, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Sergeant John Johnson, was found dead a short distance from the vehicle. Michael Warwick said.
One of the vehicles at the scene was riddled with gunshots.
Warrick said the gruesome discovery was made about 8 p.m. last Tuesday after one of the victims called authorities and told them he had been shot.
San Bernardino Sheriff Shannon Dicus said the area continues to have problems related to illegal marijuana farms.
“By all accounts, illegal marijuana appears to have been the driving force behind these murders. That’s all we really know at this point,” the top cop said, adding that he believes it’s part of organized crime. Stated.
Brothers Toniel Baez Duarte, 34, and Mateo Baez Duarte, 24, of Apple Valley, Jose Nicolas, 33, Jose Gregorio, 34, and Jose Manuel, all of Adelanto.・Burgos Parra, 26, was also arrested on the premises. said Warrick.
Eight firearms were also recovered.
The five were charged with murder and held without bail while prosecutors investigated the case.
Three of the victims were identified as Valdemar Mondragon-Albarrán, 34, Franklin Noel Bonilla, 22, and Kevin Dariel Bonilla, 25, according to the sheriff’s office.
A 45-year-old man was also identified, but his name is not being released pending notification of his family.
Authorities are still trying to determine the identities of the other two victims.
