Sacramento man dies in shooting. His dad and brothers are accused of trying to hide body

A Sacramento man’s shooting death led to five arrests, including his father and two brothers who are accused of trying to hide the body to prevent law enforcement from discovering an illegal marijuana growing operation in Butte County.

The suspicious death investigation began Sept. 11 in a rural area on Forbestown Road in Oroville, according to a news release from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies spotted a sport utility vehicle without license plates parked along the rural road.

Deputies said they approached and found a dead body concealed in the back of the SUV. Sheriff’s detectives looked for evidence at the scene, before the SUV was towed for processing by California Department of Justice investigators.

The body was later identified as Melvin Garcia-Vargas, 33, of Sacramento, and evidence indicated he had been shot in his lower body, detectives said.

On Sept. 12, detectives spoke with Garcia-Vargas’ father, Carlos Garcia-Hernandez, at his Lindale Drive home in Sacramento. Sheriff’s officials said the detectives found evidence at the home and obtained a search warrant.

As the investigation continued, the Sheriff’s Office stated, detectives determined Garcia-Vargas died at an illegal marijuana growing location controlled by his father near Squaw Flat Road in Forbestown.

The detectives found evidence that indicated the father and his two other adult sons, Juan Garcia-Vargas and Ronald Garcia-Vargas, moved and concealed the man’s body, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives served a search warrant at the Squaw Flat Road property on the evening of Sept. 12. Joining the detectives in the search were personnel from the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force, the sheriff’s Marine Unit and the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Unit.

Sheriff’s officials said the detectives found the area where they believe Melvin Garcia-Vargas suffered the gunshot wound at the Squaw Flat Road property, along with a gun and more than 600 marijuana plants. California Department of Justice investigators processed the scene.

On Sept. 13, detectives determined the father and his two other sons had other illegal marijuana growing locations near Knob Hill Avenue in Oroville, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s SWAT Team served search warrants at seven parcels along Knob Hill and found five guns and more than 1,400 marijuana plants.

Sheriff’s officials said detectives found evidence that indicated Melvin Garcia-Vargas likely accidentally shot himself while working at the illegal marijuana growing location in Forbestown.

The detectives also found evidence that the man’s father and his two brothers, with help from Juan Cruzcupido, moved and tried to conceal the body to prevent law enforcement from finding their illegal marijuana growing operations, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Garcia-Hernandez, 66, and his two sons, Juan, 27, and Ronald, 28, were each arrested on misdemeanor charges of illegal marijuana cultivation, possessing marijuana for sale and unlawfully moving and disposing of human remains, sheriff’s officials said.

Cruzcupido, 33, and Edgar Najera, 50, both of Sacramento, also were arrested. Cruzcupido and Najera were each arrested on misdemeanor charges of illegal marijuana cultivation and possessing marijuana for sale. Cruzcupido faces an additional charge of unlawfully moving and disposing of human remains.

The Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information about this investigation to call Det. Tristan Harper or Zach Price at 530-538-7671.