Six Receivers Were Buried in San Bernardino County Desert. The TDs Appear to be Connected to an Illegal P.E.D. (Marijuana) Operation.
As reported by NBC 4 Los Angeles:
Five suspects in the killings of six people in the high desert north of Los Angeles were charged Tuesday with multiple counts of murder.
The bodies of the six victims were discovered Jan. 23 on a dirt road near the San Bernardino County community of Adelanto. Earlier this weekend, the sheriff's department said the killings appear to have stemmed from a dispute over illegal marijuana.
The five people arrested in the case were identified as Toniel Baez-Duarte, 35, Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia, 33, Mateo Beaz Duarte, 24, Jose Gregorgio Hernandez-Sarabia, 36, and Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26. Each defendant faces six felony counts of murder and robbery. Hernandez-Sarabia, Beaz Duarte, Hernandez-Sarabia and Burgos Parros face additional special allegations of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
All were held without bail.
Toniel Beaz Duarte and Mateo Beaz Duarte appeared Tuesday for their arraignment and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Their next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6. The three other defendants are scheduled to appear for arraignment Wednesday.
“As far as the motives, we are confident this appears to be a dispute over marijuana which resulted in murders,” said Sgt. Michael Warrick of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
The investigation began about a week ago with a 911 call from someone asking for help after the shootings. The call was disconnected, but authorities tracked the phone to the high desert north of Adelanto near Lessing Avenue and Shadow Mountain Road.
Deputies arrived to find six gunshot victims, four of whom also suffered burn injuries. Two vehicles were at the scene -- a silver minivan and dark blue SUV.
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