A man wanted in connection with the abduction and death of a Tracy temple volunteer has been apprehended in Mexico, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday.
Alberto Alonso Alencastro was taken into custody with assistance from Mexican federal authorities and the FBI, officials said. He was subsequently transported to California and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail, according to reports from KCRA, KTVU, and NBC Bay Area.
Deputies are still searching for two other suspects, identified as Alfonso Cresencio Segura Arellano and Barnabe Antonio Segura Arellano.
Abducted in Broad Daylight
The case began Feb. 17, when 57-year-old Avtar Singh was reported missing from Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash, a Sikh place of worship situated along the 16000 block of West Grant Line Road in Tracy. Singh resided on the temple property with his family and served as a longtime volunteer.
Surveillance camera video captured three individuals clad in dark clothing forcing Singh into a white crossover-style SUV at approximately 2:30 p.m., KTVU reported based on sheriff’s statements. Four days later, on Feb. 21, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office located Singh’s remains in a secluded location near Lake Berryessa, though KCRA reported his body was found Feb. 20.
Singh left behind his wife and young children, which included triplets who were born just months prior to his abduction, according to local news reports and a verified memorial fundraiser.
Investigators Point to Mistaken Identity
Months after the slaying, detectives publicly revealed that Singh had never been the intended mark of the operation. Investigators determined on Oct. 1 that the father had been targeted entirely by mistake, NBC Bay Area reported.
According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the real target of the plot was actually living in Canada at the time of the kidnapping. Investigators flew to Canada from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27 to conduct interviews, KCRA reported. Detectives learned that the individual in Canada and family members had been receiving threats stemming from a dispute over a stolen cargo trailer.
Authorities said the suspects sought out the person responsible for taking the trailer with intentions to track him down and kill him, mistakenly identifying Singh instead.
Search Continues for Two Fugitives
In a public statement, the sheriff’s department credited persistent multiagency cooperation for securing Alencastro’s custody across the international border. Officials extended gratitude to Mexican authorities as well as federal investigators in the United States.
“This arrest comes after months of extensive investigative work and continued collaboration between law enforcement agencies,” the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said.
With two accused conspirators still evading arrest, authorities are urging the public to step forward with tips. San Joaquin County investigators have asked anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Alfonso Cresencio Segura Arellano or Barnabe Antonio Segura Arellano to contact the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 209-468-4400.
