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REEDLEY, Calif. – A California teen is accused of murdering four people in Fresno County over the weekend, and two adults are believed to be accessories after the fact in the “heinous” crimes, according to authorities.
On Saturday morning, officers with the Reedley Police Department responded to a home on South Church Avenue to conduct a welfare check. Upon arrival, they discovered evidence of a burglary, but they also came across a violent triple homicide scene, Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza said at a news conference Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Police found two bodies in the backyard along with freshly turned soil. Officers painstakingly dug up the ground with their hands and discovered a third body in a shallow grave, the chief said.
Stunningly, the body count climbed to four by Tuesday when police made an arrest in the case that has shocked a community, which recorded just one homicide in 2023. Reedley is a small town of approximately 25,000 residents and located about 25 miles southwest of Fresno.
The four murder victims represent three generations from a single family, authorities confirmed.
“In my 30 years, this is one of the most heinous crimes I have ever been involved in,” Garza said.
The triple homicide touched off a massive investigation by Reedley Police, who were assisted by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Clovis Police Department.
By Tuesday, the triple homicide investigation led detectives to a 17-year-old male suspect as well as a fourth homicide victim.
Garza delivered a chilling update Wednesday: “My belief is that the 17-year-old did not do this on his own,” he said, as two adults are also accused of being accessories after the fact to the homicides.
On Monday, the Reedley Police Department identified two of the murder victims as 81-year-old Billy Bonds and 44-year-old Guadalupe Bonds. They had been found dead at their residence on South Church Avenue on Saturday.
On Wednesday, police identified the third victim found in the shallow grave as 61-year-old Darrell Bonds, who was Billy Bonds’ son, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Investigators said there was evidence of a physical struggle in the home. A safe stored in the garage had been pried open and firearms, along with other contents, were missing.
The investigation led detectives to obtain a search warrant for locations in Reedley, Selma and Parlier. The trio of warrants were served early Tuesday morning, according to authorities.
The search warrant at the Reedley residence was next door to the Bonds’ home. At that location, investigators found a fourth homicide victim in a detached garage. The deceased individual was identified as Matthew Bonds, the husband of Guadalupe, the son Darrell and the grandson of Billy. He had been missing since his relatives were found dead on Saturday.
As a result of the investigation at the Reedley residence, police arrested a 17-year-old male, whose name was not released as well as 34-year-old Brynn Curtis and 21-year-old Rafael Gonzalez.
The 17-year-old male had no prior criminal history and was friends with Matthew Bonds. The teen was booked on four counts of homicide, police said. Curtis and Gonzalez were booked on suspicion of being accessories after the fact.
Reedley Police said in a news release: “This identification adds a new dimension to our understanding of this complex and deeply distressing incident.”
“The death of these four individuals is not directly linked at this time, but the evidence collected may provide valuable insight into the circumstances,” police continued. “Various items potentially linked to the homicide investigation were found during the search of the Reedley residence.”
According to the chief, Gonzalez had a prior weapons and narcotics charge. Curtis had a marijuana charge in addition to resisting arrest, reported the Los Angeles Times.
The 17-year-old murder suspect is being held without bail. Curtis and Gonzalez were released Wednesday on bond.
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