Two suspects are in custody after the remains of a missing 19-year-old woman were discovered in a Madera County orchard, authorities said. The Madera County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Melanie Rios Camacho. Her remains were found in an orchard off Avenue 20, west of Highway 99.
“To the family of Melanie, we are deeply sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, especially as we approach Melanie’s 20th birthday, which would’ve been this Friday,” Sheriff Tyson Pogue said during a news conference Monday afternoon.
Camacho was last seen leaving her job at Auto Zone in Madera around 10:15 p.m. Friday. Friends and coworkers told investigators she was going to meet Vicente Alejandro Jasso, a man she had dated for three months and broken up with three days before Thanksgiving.
As detectives searched for Jasso, they found Camacho’s car abandoned and on fire in a farm area off Avenue 14 near Road 8. A witness reported seeing a blue Ford Mustang with a black hood acting suspiciously near the burning vehicle, the Fresno ABC affiliate reported.
“The witness witnessed a blue Ford Mustang with a black hood pass his location on the street with one person inside, turn around near the vehicle that was on fire and then return to his location with two persons inside,” Pogue said.
That tip led investigators to 22-year-old Jose Lopez Hernandez, who was arrested Sunday night on suspicion of being an accessory to murder.
Jasso was arrested Monday morning after leading deputies and California Highway Patrol officers on a chase from Madera to Turlock and back to Atwater. Authorities said he threw Camacho’s belongings, including her driver’s license, from his minivan during the pursuit. The vehicle was disabled by spike strips on Highway 99.
Jasso fled into a nearby neighbourhood, prompting a heavy law enforcement response. One resident, Veronica, said her daughter warned her of a man outside before dozens of officers swarmed the area. Joe Madril, whose backyard became the site of the arrest, recalled hearing a helicopter and a bullhorn announcing the suspect was surrounded.
Jasso has an extensive criminal history, including domestic violence charges dating back to 2016. A GoFundMe account has been established to support Camacho’s family.
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