SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A 42-year-old man was arrested and suspected of murdering another man, according to San Diego Police Department.
Juan Carlos Sanchez was taken into custody in Imperial Beach on Friday. He was booked into the San Diego County Jail for one count of murder.
At approximately 1:35 p.m. on Wednesday, National City Fire Department responded to a brush fire in the area of 2400 Harbison Avenue in National City. When they arrived, they saw what appeared to be a large pile of trash on fire. Firefighters put it out and found a man dead in the debris. National City police and detectives were called out and took over the investigation.
Over the next days, NCPD detectives investigated the suspicious death and conducted an autopsy. It was determined that the man had been shot multiple times in his upper body and it appears it was disposed of at the location of the fire. They determined that he was possibly killed in the city of San Diego and then taken to the place where his body was found.
NCPD contacted the San Diego Police Department, and a joint investigation was conducted. The SDPD Homicide Unit assumed responsibility for the investigation.
Detectives said it appeared that the victim identified as Jaime Barba was killed in a converted building in the 1600 block of Dahlia Avenue on Oct. 3. His body was then taken to and disposed of at the location of the fire.
Police said it appears that the suspect and victim knew each other, and the victim was shot and killed during an argument.
Detectives have collected evidence at the scene and are asking for the public’s help with the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
