Candle in the Wind: An Outpouring of Grief for the Indian American Family Slain in Central California Kidnapping and Murder

People of all ages and walks of life in Merced, California, came out in large numbers this past weekend to honor and remember the four members of the Dheri family who were kidnapped and killed last week. The armed abduction, the video of which was shared extensively on social media, has shaken the community of nearly 90,000 people. Four separate vigils were held from Thursday to Sunday last week at Merced’s Bob Hart Square.

Family members, friends, and residents remembered baby Aroohi Dheri, parents Jasleen Kaur and Jasdeep Singh, and the child’s uncle, Amandeep Singh. Many people lit candles to honor the family and mourn the deaths. Relatives of the victims expressed their anguish and heartbreak and mourned the lives lost.

 “Our family just lost four precious family souls,” cousin Sukhdeep Singh told CNN affiliate KCRA at the vigil on Oct. 6. “Now, we’re all shattered.” Family friend Ranjeet Singh told the news channel that the family is “going to need our support, our help, and we ask the community to stay with us, help us, help them.”

An unnamed family member told CNN that Jasdeep and Amandeep Singh emigrated to the U.S. from Punjab in 2002 with their parents. “As the family struggled to find employment, they slept in their car at one point,” the relative told CNN. “They worked very, very hard to reach the point they did. They worked warehouse jobs, hourly jobs.”

In a statement posted online, the city of Merced noted that it stands with the Sikh community. “We cannot adequately express our sorrow for the Singh family and friends who have lost their loved ones. No family should have to endure such a horrible tragedy.”

Several prominent members of the community addressed the vigils, including Revolutionary Love Project founder Valarie Kaur, an activist, documentary filmmaker, author, lawyer, educator, and faith leader. On her social media handles, she posted her reflections, part of which she spoke at the vigils. She says “no matter what the motive is determined to be,” killings, including that of baby Aroohi “is touching something deep inside us. Something primal. Pain that is familiar and ancient.”

Family members have started a GoFundMe page for Amandeep Singh’s wife, Jaspreet Kaur, and two children, ages 9 and 6. It describes the victims as immigrants who worked tirelessly for 18 years to “achieve safety, security, and community for themselves and their families. Aman and Jasdeep were the primary bread earners for the family, supported their elderly parents, and lived under one roof.”

The page describes Aman as “the rock of his family, a great dad who always made time to cuddle his son Ekam, read with his daughter Seerat, and treasure their many art projects and other accomplishments. According to the page, “the funds raised will benefit the surviving family members and Ekam and Seerat. Expressing their gratitude “for the prayers, and tremendous support” shown by the community,” family members say on the GoFundMe page that “while nothing can fill this void, your prayers and donations will support the upbringing and education of Ekam (6), and Seerat (9) and provide financial relief to Jass (and the baby’s grandparents), Randhir, and Kirpal in these difficult times.”

While the Sheriff’s Office had previously said they were concerned about fraudulent accounts collecting donations, they said the GoFundMe account advertised through the department’s Facebook page is official.

The family has started a Facebook page as well — “In Memory Of The Dheri Family” — where they have shared memories and posted photos of the four killed. There’s also a post mentioning a visit from California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and a phone call from Gov. Gavin Newson.

“Aroohi loved to run around the house in her walker and was a joyous child,” the Facebook post says. “She loved being held in her grandparents’, aunts’, and uncles’ arms; her eyes were always full of joy. She meant the world to her little cousins Ekam and Seerat. She was our baby.”

While the Sheriff’s Office had previously said they were concerned about fraudulent accounts collecting donations, they said the GoFundMe account advertised through the department’s Facebook page is official.

Talking about her mother, the page says Jasleen, who was “a genuinely caring person,” had become “a second mother” to Ekam and Seerat. “In just a short time she created a home in our hearts with her angelic personality,” the post says. “As I sit here typing this, my visions are of her holding baby Aroohi and speaking to me about her excitement about taking Aroohi to India. She sought to see her parents’ and siblings’ faces light up as they held Aroohi for the first time. Like many first-time mothers, she was enjoying and celebrating all of Aroohi’s milestones.”

Jasdeep Singh, fondly called JB, was the youngest and was “a free spirit,” the page says. “While everyone else tried to blend in, JB always found ways to set himself apart.” He liked hanging out with his friends, backyard BBQs, “and the rumble of an American V8.” The post recalls him styling his hair “in the newest hairstyle” and carrying himself in his “unique swag.” And “though he projected a rough exterior, he was soft on the inside.”

The page describes Aman as “calm, positive, charitable, and always ready to help others.” He “always made time to cuddle with his son Ekam, read with his daughter Seerat, and treasured their many art projects and other accomplishments.” He was “loved and admired by his wife Jass.” He “routinely donated food to the local food bank and found comfort in his faith, never missing Sunday service in the temple. He was a caring elder brother and a role model to his cousins.”

Meanwhile, the Merced County District Attorney’s Office has filed four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances against Jesus Manuel Salgado, the 48-year-old accused of killing the four members of the Dheri family. “The special circumstances allege that the murders were committed during the commission of a kidnapping and that there were multiple murders in the same case,” the Fresno Bee reported, quoting Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Serratto. Salgado is also charged with arson and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He has a previous felony conviction. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

Before he was taken into custody last week, Salgado reportedly tried to kill himself a day after the kidnappings. He was previously convicted of first-degree robbery with the use of a firearm in Merced County, attempted false imprisonment and an attempt to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness after he held a family he had worked for at gunpoint and forced them to follow his orders nearly 20 years ago. In 2007, he was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in that case. He was released in 2015 and discharged from parole three years later, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He also has a conviction for possession of a controlled substance, the department said. 

His younger brother Alberto Salgado, 41, was arrested late Thursday and accused of criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence.

Last night, MCSO, with the assistance of the California DOJ, arrested Alberto Salgado, the brother of Jesus Manuel Salgado. Alberto Salgado was arrested for criminal conspiracy, accessory, and destroying evidence. Read more here: https://t.co/AtIrPCEMJi

— Merced County Sheriff's Office (@MercedSheriff) October 7, 2022