Manhunt on for 'extremely dangerous' suspect in triple killing at cemetery

Manhunt on for 'extremely dangerous' suspect in triple killing at cemetery

Three bodies were found at Perris Valley Cemetery on Monday.

February 21, 2020, 4:11 PM

4 min read

A manhunt is on in California for an "extremely dangerous" man suspected of killing three people at a cemetery this week, authorities said.

José Luis Torres Garcia, 33, has been identified as the suspect in the murders of three people whose bodies were found Monday at Perris Valley Cemetery in Perris, about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles, officials said.

The victims and the suspect knew each other, and it appears all four drove to the cemetery together, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a news conference Thursday.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco names Jose Luis Torres Garcia as the suspect in the triple homicide at Perris Valley Cemetery during a press conference at Riverside County Sheriff's Department in Riverside, Calif., on Feb 20, 2020.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco names Jose Luis Torres Garcia as the suspect in the triple homicide at Perris Valley Cemetery during a press conference at Riverside County Sheriff's Department in Riverside, Calif., on Feb 20, 2020.Terry Pierson/Orange County Register via ZUMA Press

A motive is not known, the sheriff said, but he added that these were not random killings.

Bianco said he believes Garcia acted alone, and that he should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous."

A photo of Jose Luis Torres Garcia is shown on a screen as Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco names Garcia as the suspect in the triple homicide in Riverside, Calif., Feb 20, 2020.

A photo of Jose Luis Torres Garcia is shown on a screen as Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco names Garcia as the suspect in the triple homicide in Riverside, Calif., Feb 20, 2020.Terry Pierson/Orange County Register via ZUMA Press

Investigators zeroed in on him by combing through surveillance video from across the city, which the sheriff said placed Garcia with the three victims

The victims were identified by police as Jaime Covarrubias Espindola, 50, Jose Maria Aguilar-Espejel, 38, and Rodrigo Aguilar-Espejel, 28.

The sheriff has not said how the victims were killed.

A felony warrant has been issued for Garcia's arrest, the sheriff said. A DUI warrant and a drug warrant were previously issued for Garcia, both in California, the sheriff said.

Bianco has asked the public for help in finding Garcia but urges people not to make contact with him.

ABC News' Ella Torres contributed to this report.

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