Friday, Jan. 06, 2012

Body of Los Banos man discovered in trunk of car in Monterey County

Homicide is cause of 24-year-old's death

MONTEREY -- The body of a Los Banos man, who was shot to death, was found in the trunk of a car Sunday morning in Monterey County.

Monterey County sheriff's Cmdr. Jerry Teeter said the man, identified as Felipe Hernandez Bravo Jr., 24, was discovered in Moss Landing shortly after 9:30 a.m. by state parks lifeguard Eric Sturm.

The vehicle was abandoned with its windows open off Potrero Road, near a bridge over the Old Salinas River channel, not far from the beach. Teeter said the vehicle was discovered at the edge of the riverbed but had not entered the water.

Bravo died from a gunshot wound, authorities said Wednesday. Teeter noted, the condition of the body indicated the man had died recently, because there was no apparent decomposition. Investigators say Bravo, who was identified through fingerprints, lived in Los Banos but was a frequent visitor to the Salinas area.

Dana Jones, sector superintendent for state parks, said Sturm was conducting a routine patrol of state property in the area when he saw the vehicle and went to investigate.

The car was not on state property, she said, so the investigation of the man's death will be conducted by the sheriff's office. Teeter said Bravo is apparently the first homicide victim of the year in Monterey County.

Anyone with information related to Bravo's death is asked to call Monterey County sheriff's investigator Matt Davis or investigative Sgt. Terry Kaiser at (831) 755-3772 or the sheriff's tip line (888) 833-4847.