Brother of Suspect in Deaths of Kidnapped Calif. Family Arrested

Alberto Salgado was arrested for criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office

Alberto Salgado, Jesus Salgado. Photo: Merced County Sheriff's Office

The brother of the suspect accused of kidnapping and killing a California family has been arrested, according to the Merced County Sheriff's Office.

In a post shared Friday on Facebook, officials said Alberto Salgado, brother of suspect Jesus Manuel Salgado, was arrested Thursday evening.

"Alberto Salgado is the brother of Jesus Manuel Salgado who is suspected of kidnapping and murdering Aroohi Dheri, Jasleen Kaur, Jasdeep Singh, and Amandeep Singh. Alberto Salgado was arrested for criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence," the post read.

He was booked into the Merced County Jail.

Baby Aroohi Dheri; mom Jasleen Kaur; dad Asdeep Singh; and uncle Amandeep Singh. Merced County Sheriff's Office

On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies took suspect Jesus, 48, into custody after he tried to kill himself.

He was initially unable to talk because he was sedated while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital, but has since begun answering investigator's questions, the Associated Press reported.

Jesus was arrested "for four counts of murder and four counts of kidnapping," according to MCSO.

The last time the family was seen alive was on Monday, when Jesus was allegedly seen on surveillance footage leading Jasdeep and Amandeep out the back of Gateway Parking on South Highway 59, south of Merced.

Jesus allegedly held a gun to the brothers, who were both zip-tied, as he led them down a back staircase to a pickup truck.

He then allegedly led the young mother, holding her baby in her arms, down the steps and to the pickup truck.

RELATED VIDEO: 4 Calif. Family Members Found Dead 2 Days After Kidnapping: 'Our Worst Fears Have Been Confirmed'

The family was found dead two days after their kidnapping, when a farm worker found the bodies of Jasleen, 27, Jasdeep, 36, their 8-month-old baby, Aroohi, and the baby's uncle, Amandeep, 39. Their bodies were discovered in an almond orchard in Dos Palos, about 30 miles south of Merced, Merced County Sheriff Vernon Warnke announced at a press conference Wednesday night.

"Our worst fears have been confirmed," Sheriff Warnke said.

Investigators believe the three adults were killed first — and that Jesus allegedly left the baby girl to die in the field of exposure, the sheriff told ABC 30.

Investigators are awaiting a more thorough report from the MCSO pathologist showing how the baby died, Warnke told the news outlet.

"It's bad enough to do what he did to the adults but what was reported to me with the infant was just unimaginable," he told ABC 30.

Jesus had worked for the slain family's trucking business as a driver and had a falling out with them that "got pretty nasty" after he left the company more than a year ago, Sheriff Warnke confirmed to The Associated Press.

About a year ago, after he parted ways with the company, he sent emails and text messages to the family expressing anger over an apparent disagreement they'd had, the family's relatives told investigators, according to Sheriff Warnke.

In 2006, Jesus was convicted of witness intimidation and a residential robbery with gun enhancements and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison, court documents show, The Fresno Bee reported.

He was released on parole on June 21, 2015.

Serving time behind bars did nothing "to deter" Jesus from allegedly committing another serious crime, Warnke told ABC 30.

At Wednesday night's press conference, the sheriff echoed the sentiments of the community when he said, "There's no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident.

"I said it earlier, there's a special place in hell for this guy."

Anyone with information about the kidnapping and murders is asked to call 209-385-7547.