Crime & Safety
Merced County, CA Murder Case: Suspect Arrested in Tesla Trunk Killing
Merced, CA – A three month homicide investigation into the death of a 42 year old man found inside the trunk of a Tesla along a Central California highway has resulted in the arrest of a Turlock man,
By Jenna Hartley · 2026-10-26T20:45:48.459Z
Merced, CA – A three month homicide investigation into the death of a 42 year old man found inside the trunk of a Tesla along a Central California highway has resulted in the arrest of a Turlock man, authorities announced.
According to the California Highway Patrol, detectives arrested 39 year old Manuel Salceda in connection with the killing of Javier Becerril Jr., a Hollister resident whose body was discovered July 9, 2026, along State Route 152 in Merced County.
Investigators determined that Becerril had allegedly been physically assaulted before his body was placed inside the trunk of the Tesla sedan.
Detectives with the CHP Central Division Major Crimes Unit spent approximately three months gathering physical evidence, reviewing surveillance footage and pursuing investigative leads.
Authorities eventually identified Salceda as a suspect in the homicide.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Salceda may have used multiple identities to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On Sunday, Oct. 11, investigators received information that a vehicle believed to be transporting Salceda was near Dublin, California.
Using investigative resources, detectives tracked the vehicle through several Bay Area counties.
The coordinated investigation ultimately led authorities to a gas station on Road 8 near Interstate 5 in Woodland, where Salceda was arrested without incident.
CHP Chief Damon Gilmore credited investigators for following evidence across multiple jurisdictions to locate the suspect.
“Our detectives tracked the evidence across multiple counties to locate and arrest the suspect in Javier Becerril Jr.'s killing,” Gilmore said.
Salceda was arraigned on murder charges Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Merced County Superior Court.
The California Highway Patrol publicly announced the arrest Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Authorities have not disclosed a suspected motive or additional details about the circumstances leading to Becerril's death.
Salceda is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.