The investigation into a November 2020 homicide has led to three people being charged with murder.

On November 9, 2020, the Imperial County Sheriff's Office was notified by U. S. Border Patrol agents that the body of a man was found outside the city limits of El Centro. The victim was identified as Joe Angel Sandoval, 19, of El Centro. The ICSO Criminal Investigations Division worked multiple leads and identified three suspects as being involved in the murder. Arrests warrants were issued and the three have been taken into custody. The suspects are Jose Mario Salas, 25, Jericho Duron, 22, and Gerardo Acevedo, 33. All three suspects are currently being held in Imperial County Jail on $1 million bail.