Manuel Salceda arrested for murder after DoorDash driver found dead in Tesla trunk
A California DoorDash driver whose body was discovered in a Tesla’s trunk has led to the arrest of Manuel Salceda on murder charges.
Javier Becerril Jr., a 42-year-old DoorDash driver from Hollister, was discovered dead on July 9 inside the trunk of a Tesla sedan traveling on State Route 152 in Merced County. A three-month probe by the California Highway Patrol’s Central Division Major Crimes Unit linked the killing to Manuel Salceda, a 39-year-old resident of Turlock, who now faces murder charges. Investigators pieced together surveillance footage, forensic evidence and a trail that spanned several Bay Area counties, ultimately locating Salceda near Dublin before tracking him to a gas station on Road 8 near Interstate 5 in Woodland, where he was arrested without incident.
Detectives also uncovered that Salceda may have operated under multiple aliases to evade law enforcement. He was formally arraigned in Merced County Superior Court on Oct. 20. CHP Chief Damon Gilmore emphasized the agency’s commitment to pursuing violent offenders and collaborating with partner agencies to secure justice.
Why it matters
The case highlights a violent crime involving a gig-economy worker and demonstrates multi-county law-enforcement coordination.
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