The fatal shooting of two young men in farmland near Soledad was a likely case of mistaken identity, the Monterey County sheriff’s office.
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“Nothing in their background or history indicates that they had a criminal background or any kind of gang relation. It’s very tragic that citizens of the county, out driving around, were hunted down, shot and killed,” Michael Darlington, commander of the sheriff’s investigative unit, said at a press conference Thursday.
Jack Canchola, 20, and Andres Garcia, 26, were cousins, and had been at a family gathering on the evening of Feb. 4, a Sunday. They left to go for a drive together.
“The family mentioned Jack was high-functioning autistic and sometimes started to feel stressed or overwhelmed if he was in a large crowd of people,” said Detective Arras Wilson, the lead investigator on the case. “He simply wanted a breath of fresh air, so he and Andres went to a scenic spot he always enjoyed.”
Around 7 p.m., one of the young men called 911 to report they were being chased by “guys with guns” on Los Coches Road west of Greenfield.
When California Highway Patrol officers arrived at the scene, they found two cars 50 to 100 yards off the road: the victims’ pickup and a silver 2013 Kia Optima. The Kia had been abandoned. Near the pickup, both cousins were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds. They died at the scene.
Investigators think that Canchola and Garcia, trying to escape their pursuers, missed a turn in the road and drove into the field.
There has been no information provided about the suspects, but investigators say they are looking for at least two people.
“Somebody knows something, and we are asking for your help with that information. The smallest details you may have or something you think isn’t important may be the key,” said Commander Andres Rosas.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of suspects.
Garcia and Canchola’s older brothers, Miguel Garcia and Jesus Canchola, spoke Thursday about their brothers’ character and what they meant to the community. Both Canchola and Garcia were active in their church and practiced Aztec dancing together.
“My brother was a person that was very kind to the community,” said Miguel Garcia. “He had a job to do at the church and served every weekend to help the priests. I never imagined how painful this situation could be.”
Jesus Canchola said he grew up with his cousin and brother and expressed the pain both families are going through.
“They were two great people. We always had a great laugh together. They were both hard workers. Me and Jack worked together, so we would drive in the morning and back home every day,” Jesus Canchola said. “It’s just really painful to drive to work now, having nobody to listen to music with.”
The sheriff’s office received a private donation to fund the reward. Law enforcement authorities asked the public to share any information by calling the main office at (831) 755-3700 or visiting montereycountysheriff.org to submit a tip, which can be anonymous.
