Judge grants motion to consolidate cases in kidnapping and killing of Merced family

Andrew Kuhn
·2 min read

A Merced County Judge has granted a motion from prosecutors to consolidate the cases of a Merced man charged with kidnapping and killing an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle and his brother, who is charged as an accessory to the kidnapping and murders.

Brothers Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, and Alberto Salgado, 41, appeared before Merced County Superior Court Judge Carol Ash in Merced on Wednesday. Jesus Salgado is accused of kidnapping and murdering baby Aroohi Dheri, her parents, Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39. Alberto Salgado is accused of being an accessory to the kidnapping and murders.

During the hearing, Ash said she did consider the possibility of potential prejudice against Alberto Salgado in being tried in the same case with Jesus Salgado. Ash said that while making her decision, she took into consideration the timeliness as well as the fact that the court often hears cases with an alleged murder and alleged accessory after the fact and that jurors seem able to keep those factors separate.

“I’m going to go ahead and grant the motion to consolidate, and if it comes to the point where it’s going on too long, then the court can always reconsider and end up severing the cases,” Ash said during the hearing. “At this time I do think it would be in the interest of judicial economy to go ahead and consolidate the cases. So I’m going to grant that motion, and I don’t think it would be so prejudicial to Mr. Alberto Salgado for me to justify denying the motion.”

The four family members were kidnapped from their business in Merced at gunpoint in October 2022. Their bodies were later found by a farmworker in a rural area of Merced County northeast of Dos Palos on Oct. 5.

Jesus Salgado has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty if convicted. Alberto Salgado has pleaded not guilty to charges of arson of property, conspiracy to commit robbery and accessory after the fact.

“We’re going to prosecute the case the same whether they remain consolidated or not,” said Merced County Deputy District Attorney Katie Gates. “It’s just that it reduces the number of hearings since they will have a preliminary hearing and trial together rather than independently.”

The men are scheduled to appear in Merced County Superior Court for a pre-preliminary hearing on July 19.

Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, walks out of the courtroom after appearing before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, walks out of the courtroom after appearing before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Alberto Salgado, 41, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged as an accessory in the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Alberto Salgado, 41, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged as an accessory in the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Alberto Salgado, 41, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged as an accessory in the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Alberto Salgado, 41, appears before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged as an accessory in the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, walks out of the courtroom after appearing before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, walks out of the courtroom after appearing before Judge Carol Ash in Merced County Superior Court in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Salgado has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the Oct. 2022 kidnapping and killing of an 8-month-old, her parents and uncle.