Unraveling a gruesome homicide case, an evening meetup for a marijuana transaction in El Mirage turned deadly for six individuals, with the suspects later apprehended for murder.
On the evening of January 23, 2024, an unfortunate incident occurred on Lessing Avenue and Shadow Mountain Road in the unincorporated area of Adelanto, resulting in the untimely deaths of six individuals. The incident, now categorized as a homicide, involved gun violence and the discovery of partially burned bodies.
The victims have been identified as Baldemar Mondragon-Albarran, 34; Franklin Noel Bonilla, 22; Kevin Dariel Bonilla, 25; Jose Ruelas-Calderon, 45; Narciso Sandoval, 47; and Adrian Ochoa-Salgado, 41. The suspects, alleged to be responsible for the incident, are Toniel Baez-Duarte, 34; Mateo Baez-Duarte, 24; Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia, 33; Jose Gregorio Hernandez-Sarabia, 34; and Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26.
The sequence of events unfolded when Franklin Noel Bonilla made a 911 call at 8:16 p.m., reporting he had been shot but was unable to provide his location. The call led law enforcement to the Lessing Avenue and Shadow Mountain Road area.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered the bodies of five individuals. Franklin Bonilla was found deceased shortly afterward nearby. Detectives from the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division, Homicide Detail, took charge of the investigation, revealing that the victims had arranged to meet for a marijuana transaction. The suspects arrived and, for reasons still under investigation, opened fire on the six victims. Additionally, four of the victims were found partially burned.
Multiple search warrants were executed during the investigation, leading to the discovery of firearms and additional evidence. On January 28, 2024, all suspects were apprehended and booked for PC 187-Murder. They are currently being held without bail. Two of the six victims remained unidentified.
In a subsequent update on February 8, 2024, authorities sought the public’s assistance in identifying one of the unknown victims, a Hispanic male aged between 30 and 60 years. The individual had distinctive surgical scars, including a large one on the anterior right forearm, a surgical plate on the right forearm, and a tattoo of the word “Gio” or “Gia” on the left side of his chest.
The next day, on February 9, 2024, victim five was identified as 47-year-old Narciso Sandoval, and victim six as 41-year-old Adrian Ochoa-Salgado. Law enforcement expressed gratitude to the public for their assistance in the identification process.
The investigation continues, and anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Michelle Del Rio at (909) 890-4904. Callers can remain anonymous by reaching out to We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.
