Image: CBS
Five guys are detained by police after bodies are discovered.
After multiple victims were discovered shot dead in a remote part of the Mojave Desert in southern California, police have detained five persons.
Following a gunshot victim’s 911 call, a police aircraft was dispatched to the graphic crime scene and six bodies were discovered.
San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office investigators stated on Monday that they believe the conflict has something to do with growing marijuana illegally.
According to authorities, four of the six fatalities have been identified thus far. On January 23, the bodies—all of which were male—were discovered off a roadway close to El Mirage, a town in San Bernardino County.
According to police, all six victims died from gunshot wounds. Significant burns were also inflicted by four of the victims, Sgt. Michael Warrick said reporters on Monday.
When one of the victims called 911 to report that he had been shot, the inquiry got underway. At around 20:15 local time (04:15 GMT), a police aircraft was dispatched to discover the victims and a bullet-riddled SUV and minivan.
The location is approximately 90 miles (144 km) northeast of Los Angeles. One man was found inside a car, while the other four were discovered next to one another. The last body was found by officers not far away.
The SUV seemed to be full of gunshots, with broken glass and fire debris visible in the aerial footage taken at the scene. “As far as the motive, we are confident that this appears to be a dispute over marijuana,” stated Sergeant Warrick.
The sheriff’s office stated in a press release that “investigators determined the victims had arranged to meet at the location for a marijuana transaction”.
“Arrived at the location, and for reasons still under investigation, shot the six victims,” is how the five men in custody put it. Investigators have seized eight firearms, which are undergoing testing to see if they were used in the murders.
Officials attributed the deaths to “organised crime” rather than commenting on whether they were connected to gangs or cartels.
Although adult use and purchase of cannabis has been legal in California since 2016, there is still a black market for untaxed marijuana.
According to the sheriff’s office, last year, authorities in San Bernardino County carried out 411 search warrants for illicit marijuana operations, seizing 74,000lbs (34,000kg) of processed cannabis.