The dangerous fugitive wanted in the killing of his wife was found dead inside a home in unincorporated Escondido Tuesday night, authorities confirmed.
At 11 p.m., San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) deputies were called to a home in the 3000 block of N. Broadway – the same site where resident Teresa Ortiz, 46, was found critically shot on Saturday. Ortiz later died from her injuries.
For the past four days, investigators have been searching for Ortiz’s estranged husband, Juan Garcia, 50, aka Jose Luis Paredes, in connection with her deadly shooting.
According to the SDSO, deputies were tipped off Tuesday night that Garcia may have been back in Escondido. Deputies were at the home on N. Broadway helping Ortiz’s family members recover personal belongings from the property.
Before family members were allowed inside, deputies did a protective search of the house. During the search, deputies discovered the body of a Hispanic man matching Garcia’s description.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s (ME) office conducted an autopsy and has now confirmed the man was Garcia. The ME said Garcia died by suicide from a gunshot wound.
On Tuesday night, officers with the Escondido Police Department (EPD) recovered a stolen Ford Taurus used by Garcia abandoned near Reidy Creek Elementary School – just two miles away from the home where Ortiz was found fatally wounded.
Investigators believe Garcia abandoned his red Ford Explorer at a commercial property a few miles north of where the homicide happened on Saturday and then stole the Ford Taurus from the area near Thunderbird Driving Range.
The motive for the deadly shooting of Ortiz remains unknown. Investigators are classifying the case as domestic violence.
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SDSO Lt. Kenneth Nelson said that, to his knowledge, there was no restraining order in place between the estranged couple, nor any recent 911 calls reporting domestic violence at the home in unincorportated Escondido.
The homicide case is under investigation and anyone with information is urged to call the SDSO Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
