US Sikh family murder: Main accused Jesus Salgado could face lifetime in jail

The main accused Jesus Salgado is believed to have had a long-standing feud with the family and was a former employee of their trucking business.

New Delhi: Jesus Salgado, accused of kidnapping and killing a California Sikh family was slapped with charges for the same by prosecutors on Monday. He allegedly kidnapped the parents, their 8-month-old daughter, and her uncle at gunpoint from their family business on Oct 3.

Salgado threatening the family at gunpoint outside their trucking business in order to kidnap them was captured on camera. It showed Jasdeep Singh and Amandeep Singh first being led away at gunpoint and the kidnapper returning to take Jasleen Kaur and the baby.

Salgado is believed to have had a long-standing feud with the family and was a former employee of their trucking business. In a senseless act of revenge, Salgado murdered the family. 

In the beginning, the family consisting of Aroohi Dheri; her 27-year-old mother Jasleen Kaur; her 36-year-old father Jasdeep Singh; and her 39-year-old uncle Amandeep Singh was only suspected to be missing but their dead bodies were found on late Wednesday near an almond orchard in a remote agricultural land in California. 

The accused tried to kill himself after the kidnappings and murder. However, he was unsuccessful and now faces a lifetime of jail time if convicted.

Relatives of the family told investigators that Salgado had sent angry text messages or emails about a year ago after working with the trucking business, Warnke said.