DoorDash driver found dead in Tesla trunk: brother of ex-girlfriend arrested
Manuel Salceda, 39, has been arrested for the murder of Hollister father Javier Becerril, whose body was found in his Tesla off a remote California highway.
Murder arrest after father's body discovered in car trunk off Highway 152
A 39-year-old man from Turlock has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Javier Becerril, a DoorDash driver and father from Hollister, abc30.com reports. Becerril's body was found inside the trunk of his own Tesla in a remote area off Highway 152 in Merced County in early July.
California Highway Patrol Central Division Chief Damon Gilmore said at a news conference that Becerril had been shot and physically assaulted before his body was placed in the boot of his vehicle. Investigators recovered the firearm used in the crime following a months-long, multi-agency investigation.
Manuel Salceda was arrested at a petrol station in Woodland. According to authorities, he had been using multiple aliases to evade law enforcement. "Detectives believe Salceda had been using multiple identities to avoid detection," Chief Gilmore said.
Family members told Action News that Salceda is the brother of Becerril's former girlfriend, and that the former couple share two children together. Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira confirmed the personal nature of the killing. "This was a personal motive between the parties, and they did have a prior relationship with one another, they knew each other," Silveira said.
Silveira described the case as "one of the most calculated and callous murders we've seen in Merced County in recent memory." Authorities said the killing was premeditated. Officials did not confirm whether footage from the Tesla was used during the investigation.
In addition to first-degree murder, Salceda faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors allege he has a prior serious felony conviction from 2010 for criminal threats — a charge that, under California law, doubles his potential sentence. "He is also charged with being a felon in possession — we alleged that he committed a prior serious felony in 2010, a criminal threats charge, which thereby doubles his sentence," Silveira said.
If convicted on all counts, Salceda faces up to 75 years to life in prison. He was initially booked in Yolo County before being transferred to Merced County, where he remains in custody. He is expected to return to court early next month.
Fellow DoorDash drivers created a memorial in Becerril's honour following his death. District Attorney Silveira addressed the victim's family directly: "We recognise no arrest can undo the loss you have suffered, but we hope that today's announcement represents a meaningful step forward towards accountability and justice."
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)