DoorDash Driver Found Dead in Tesla Trunk as Suspect Is Arrested After Three-Month Investigation

A California DoorDash driver was found dead in the trunk of his own Tesla along a remote highway, and authorities have now arrested a 39-year-old man accused of killing him after a months-long investigation.

Javier Becerril Jr., 42, of Hollister, California, was discovered inside the trunk of a white Tesla on July 9 along State Route 152 in Merced County. His family had reported him missing before the discovery.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), investigators determined that Becerril had been physically assaulted before his body was placed in the trunk. Authorities later confirmed that he had died from a gunshot wound to the neck.

The investigation continued for approximately three months before detectives identified Manuel Adrian Salceda, 39, of Turlock, as a suspect. Police said they relied on physical evidence, surveillance footage and other investigative leads to build the case.

Authorities also said Salceda may have used multiple identities in an effort to avoid detection. On October 11, investigators tracked a vehicle believed to be transporting him across several Northern California counties before locating him at a gas station near Interstate 5 in Woodland. He was arrested without incident.

Salceda was subsequently charged with murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors have also alleged special circumstances and enhancements, including premeditation and firearm use. He has not been convicted, and the charges must be proven in court.

Officials described the killing as personal and said the two men knew each other. Family members told local media that Salceda was the brother of Becerril’s former girlfriend, with whom Becerril shared two children. Authorities have not publicly disclosed every detail of what led to the alleged killing.

The case has devastated Becerril’s loved ones and fellow delivery drivers. After his death, colleagues created a memorial outside a Safeway supermarket in Hollister, where he regularly picked up DoorDash orders.

For those who knew him, the arrest represents a significant development in a case that began with a missing-person report and ended with the discovery of a father’s body inside his own vehicle.

Salceda remains subject to the ongoing criminal proceedings. His next court hearing is scheduled for November 4, according to local reports.

Source: DAILYMAIL