Topline:
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department arrested five suspects in connection with the shooting deaths of six men in the Mojave Desert. The killings took place in a remote area north of Adelanto in San Bernardino County.
More details: The sheriff’s department said it received a 911 call Tuesday, Jan. 23, from a man who said he’d been shot but did not know his location. With the help of a California Highway Patrol airship, deputies searched the area and found the crime scene, which included multiple victims — all of whom had gunshot wounds — and two vehicles, one of which had been hit by gunfire.
The body of man who investigators said was the 911 caller was found nearby. Four of the victims were severely burned, according to the department.
“This is an area known for illicit marijuana,” Sheriff Shannon Dicus said.
Possible motive: “We are confident this appears to be a dispute over marijuana which resulted in the murders,” Sgt. Michael Warrick said during a press conference Monday. The department said in a news release that investigators believe the victims had come to the scene for a “marijuana transaction.”
The suspects: The department said the five suspects, all male, were arrested at a compound near a possible marijuana grow site that was not yet active. All of them have been booked on murder charges and are being held without bail.
The sheriff’s department identified the suspects as: Toniel Baez-Duarte, 34; Mateo Baez-Duarte, 24; Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia; Jose Gregorio Hernandez-Sarabia, 34; and Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26.
What’s next: The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case to determine what charges will be filed. Warrick said he was confident there are no additional suspects at large.
