Body recovered on Soboba Reservation ID’d as Jerome Salgado Jr.

SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS – Riverside County Sheriff’s officials have confirmed locating and recovering the body of 37-year-old Jerome Salgado Jr., a San Jacinto resident who had been reported missing Sunday, May 22. According to a missing person report filed with the sheriff’s department, Salgado was last seen in the Hemet area Friday, May 20.

Jerome Salgado Jr., shown with members of his family in an undated Salgado family photo.

The victim was identified by Coroner’s officials as Salgado Jr. According to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Jeff Buompensiero, “Salgado sustained traumatic injuries that caused his death.”

The investigation began Saturday, June 11, at about 1:42 p.m., after deputies from the Riverside Sheriff’s Hemet Station received a call regarding possible human remains in the area of the Indian Creek Truck Trail and Ridge Truck Trail on the Soboba Indian Reservation. At the time, Riverside Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Deputy Armando Munoz described the investigation as a “suspicious circumstances call.”

When deputies arrived in the rugged, mountainous area located towards the northeast end of the reservation they reportedly located what appeared to be a gravesite.

Investigators from the Hemet Station and the sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the area and assumed the investigation after confirming there was a gravesite at the location.

Aerial view of the general area where Salgado Jr.’s body was found buried.

“Due to darkness, the gravesite was secured until the following day,” Buompensiero wrote in a press release. “On Sunday, June 12, at about 6:00 a.m., investigators recovered the remains of an adult male from the gravesite.”

Coroner’s officials later confirmed the remains were that of Salgado Jr.

“The investigation is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time,” Buompsensiero wrote.

Salgado Jr.’s family addressed friends, family, and others on a YouCaring.com page, where they are seeking donations to help pay for his funeral, writing, “We would like to thank you all for your constant good vibes and well wishes. We have definitely felt your love from the (outpouring) of concern for him over the course these past few weeks. We are now preparing to send him on his journey home.”

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Riverside County Central Homicide Unit investigators at (951) 955-2777 or Hemet Station investigators at (951) 791-3400. Callers can refer to incident file number D161430061 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline  online form.

Contact the writer: [email protected]