Merced

Merced Community Holds Candlelight Vigil for 4 Family Members Kidnapped, Killed

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The Merced community gathered for a public candlelight memorial downtown Thursday as they remembered the four family members who were kidnapped and killed earlier this week.

The candles were left behind by a community that was touched by this tragedy. A community that is still grieving the loss of four family members.

On Wednesday, the bodies of Amandeep Singh, 39, Jasleen Kaur, 27, Jasdeep Singh, 36, and their 8-month-old daughter Aroohi Dheri were found by a farm worker in a field in Merced County.

The entire family was kidnapped on Monday at gunpoint at a business on Highway 59. It was caught on surveillance video.

Authorities said they were taken by Jesus Salgado, a convicted felon.

On Thursday night, the Merced County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook that Salgado was officially booked into the county jail and was arrested for four counts of murder and four counts of kidnapping.

“A family member did confirm to me he worked for the family. I don’t have specifics as far as who in the family he worked for,” said Merced County Sheriff Vernon H. Warnke.

Warnke said Salgado tried to hang himself when family told him they contacted law enforcement.

“I believe whole hardly based upon the circumstances we know of during this case, that a second person in my opinion has to be involved,” he said.

As police continue to investigate the case, the outpouring from the Merced community continues.

“We’re going to channel the anger, we are going to channel the pain, we are going to channel the sadness into more love, our community protecting itself and our community showing love to each other,” said Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto.

There are three more candlelight vigils planned this week. A family member said during the vigil that the family has not set up a GoFundMe account as of Thursday night.

Four bodies of a Sikh family kidnapped at gunpoint in Central California were found in a remote orchard Wednesday, officials said. Raj Mathai talks with Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke on what happens next in the case.
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