A horrifying discovery was reported by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in the Mojave Desert near El Mirage, California.
Deputies carried out a welfare check off Highway 395 on Tuesday night, January 23, 2024, around 8:15 p.m. after an anonymous call was made to the 911 dispatcher.
A man called, speaking Spanish, and stated that he had been shot. However, he didn’t provide his whereabouts before hanging up. Police traced the call to the location. The authorities later discovered that one of the deceased individuals found at the location was the same person who made the call.
Deputies found five bodies in a remote section of the desert. The scene was so disturbing that local news stations chose to blur out images taken from helicopters overhead.
Mara Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department, disclosed in a press conference that an initial count revealed five bodies. However, a more thorough search of the premises resulted in the discovery of a sixth body the following day.
The names of three individuals who lost their lives in the incident have been made public. They are Baldemar Mondragon-Albarran, aged 34, from Adelanto, California; Franklin Noel Bonilla, aged 22, from Hesperia, California; and Kevin Dariel Bonilla, aged 25, also from Hesperia. It is suspected that the person who dialed 911 was Franklin Bonilla.
Additionally, there is a 45-year-old male victim whose identity is being kept confidential until their family has been notified. Authorities are still in the process of identifying the remaining two victims.
The department’s specialized investigations division is leading the ongoing probe. Authorities announced on Monday, January 29, that they have apprehended five individuals who are being held without bail. The motive reportedly appears to be a dispute over marijuana.
The individuals involved in the incident were five men in their 20s and 30s from the Inland Empire region:
- Toniel Baez-Duarte, 34 years old, residing in Apple Valley, Ca.
- Mateo Baez-Duarte, 24 years old, Apple Valley.
- Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia, 33 years old, Adelanto, Ca.
- Jose Gregorio Hernandez-Sarabia, 34 years old, Adelanto.
- Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26 years old, Adelanto.
The bodies were found in close proximity to two vehicles – a white minivan and a dark blue SUV. Both vehicles showed signs of being shot at, with one having windows blown out. It appeared that three of the bodies had been subjected to burning.
Authorities are yet to determine whether the victims were shot on-site or if the bodies were moved to the location after the incident. The Sheriff’s Department is appealing to the public for any information that could aid the investigation.
Gloria Huerta, public information officer, highlighted the difficulties of carrying out investigations in such vast and isolated desert areas.
The incident has sparked concerns about security in these remote areas. Sheriff Shannon Dicus mentioned that the area within the county has gained notoriety due to its involvement in the illegal marijuana market. Additionally, law enforcement officers have taken significant action by conducting numerous arrests there.
Over the past year, he mentioned that the teams focused on combating illegal marijuana cultivation in the county. They executed a total of 411 search warrants to investigate and dismantle these illicit operations. Additionally, they discovered and dismantled 14 labs specializing in the production of cannabis honey oil. In the process, they seized a substantial amount of contraband, which included approximately 655,000 marijuana plants and 74,000 pounds of processed marijuana. These operations resulted in the confiscation of a significant sum of $370 million.
Regarding the specific area where the murders occurred, the authorities executed 11 search warrants to find the killers. Moreover, they carried out an additional 40 search warrants in an adjacent area commonly known as Shadow Mountain.
After the decriminalization of marijuana by California voters, Dicus claimed that there has been a rise in illicit activities conducted by organized criminals associated with the drug.
El Mirage, California, a location known for its picturesque isolation approximately 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles, is rarely the site of such disquieting events.