A married California couple was found deceased near the border in an alleged murder-suicide after the two were reported missing by their three children days before Christmas, according to authorities.
The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) released a press statement Wednesday that stated U.S. Customs and Border Patrol had contacted the SDPD after they located a vehicle that was associated with a missing persons case.
The vehicle, which contained a deceased male and female, was found in the parking lot of the Gold Acorn Casino, roughly 27 miles away from the border. Authorities noted that upon investigating they learned that the male had suffered from an alleged “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” with the woman’s death being looked at as a “homicide,” the press release stated. (RELATED: New Jersey Son Accused Of Killing Father With Ax And Saw On Christmas Eve, Court Docs Say: REPORT)
“Her death is being investigated as a homicide with her husband as the lone suspect in what appears to be a tragic case of domestic violence,” the SDPD press release stated.
While authorities did not name the deceased individuals, family members confirmed to NBC 7 that the couple was Melissa and Johnny Soto.
The pair were allegedly living separately, leading police to believe that there was “likely a domestic violence incident prior” to their missing persons report on Dec. 20, according to the press statement.
Melissa and Johnny Soto have been missing from San Ysidro in the district of San Diego since December 20, 2023.
The pair have 3 children and have been married for 20 years, though they recently separated. #findourmissing #missingpersons #missing pic.twitter.com/bC0gvn2thm
— Find Our Missing (@FindOurMissing_) December 27, 2023
Their youngest son, Vincent, had allegedly seen the couple last, stating that it “felt like a normal night” when his parents had asked him to “leave for a minute” so they could talk, according to NBC 7.
“It felt like a normal night,” Vincent told the outlet. “He was just sitting here watching TV like he always does. And my parents, they always talk. He asked me, ‘Hey, Vinny, can you leave for a minute? We’re going to talk.’ So I left the house, not assuming anything.”
Just over an hour later, Vincent’s father had texted him stating that the couple had left and he could return home. However, after hours had passed the pair did return home, worrying the siblings that something had happened, NBC 7 reported. The children then called authorities the following morning and reached out to their aunt Christina Sandoval, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Jury Indicts ‘Turtleboy’ On 16 Criminal Charges Linked To Murder Case)
“They left with no clothes,” Sandoval told NBC 7. “They left with nothing. All his clothes that he wears normally, like the sweats there in the bedroom. Her phone was left here. Her wallet was left here. Her keys were left here, and then his phone was turned off about 15 to 20 minutes after he left here.”
A neighbor’s surveillance footage allegedly displayed the couple’s last moments seen together, which was around 8:51 p.m. showing a car believed to be Melissa’s pulling into the home’s driveway, NBC 7 reported. After a man appeared to get out of the driver’s seat, it wasn’t till around 10:19 p.m. that Melissa’s alleged car had pulled back out of the driveway, neighbor Raymond Arzola told the outlet.
Another neighbor’s footage showed the garage door and trunk of the car open around six minutes later, leading Arzola to believe it was Johnny seen on the recordings, according to NBC 7.
The SDPD is still investigating the incident, asking anyone with information to call the department’s homicide unit.