Quick Take
Monterey County detectives identified a body found on the Pajaro River levee as Jesus Alfonso Durate Figueroa, 36, of Watsonville. A Monterey County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said the cause of death is still being investigated, but are treating the case as a homicide.
The body found buried in the Pajaro River levee Friday afternoon has been identified by Monterey County Sheriff’s Office as 36-year-old Jesus Alfonso Durate Figueroa of Watsonville. Detectives are investigating his death as a homicide.
Monterey County detectives discovered the body by the Pajaro River levee west of the bridge that connects the community of Pajaro to Watsonville, said sheriff’s spokesperson Andres Rosas. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office had received information from anonymous sources last Thursday that led to detectives finding the body, he said.
Investigators were able to identify the victim after they were made aware of a missing person’s report filed in Santa Cruz County, said Rosas. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Lookout that the victim’s family did submit a missing person’s report in March after they did not hear from him for a week, said spokesperson Ashley Keehn. She said the department was contacted on Monday by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office to inform them about Durate Figueroa’s death.
The cause of death is still being investigated, said Rosas. It’s also unclear if the victim lived in the encampments along the levee or if he knew anyone who lived there.
Rosas told Lookout that investigators do not know if the potential suspects lived in or near the Pajaro River levee, and are relying heavily on the community for information on what could have happened. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with information that could be related to this incident is encouraged to contact Monterey County Sheriff’s Detective Arras Wilson at 831-597-1225 or Detective Sgt. Nicholas Kennedy at 831-755-3773 or 831-597-1228. Information can be provided anonymously.
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FOR THE RECORD: This story has been updated with additional information from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
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