Jose Jorge Lara Paez, a 66-year-old Latino, was found dead on October 11, 2018, in the 30900 block of East 106th Street in the Southeast Antelope Valley community of Littlerock, California. His body was discovered alongside the remains of two other individuals, Julieta Arvizu, 49, and Cuauhtemoc Lara, 39, who had been missing since January 14, 2018. The discovery was made during an investigation into a property rented by Jesus "Chuy" Guzman, a suspected drug dealer.
Guzman had been evicted from the property on August 30, 2018, the same day Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators served a search warrant there. The search revealed evidence of methamphetamine production, weapons, and stolen vehicles.
The investigation into the deaths of Lara Paez and the others revealed that they had left behind all their possessions and had no activity on their cellphones after January 14, 2018, leading family and investigators to suspect foul play. Lara Paez, known as "the Mechanic," worked odd jobs fixing vehicles and had a place in Lake Los Angeles, northeast of Littlerock. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for their disappearance.
Jesus "Chuy" Guzman, the primary suspect in the case, remains at large. He is described as a Latino male, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Guzman is known to frequent areas such as Littlerock, Adelanto, Victorville, Riverside, and Compton, and drives a black 2009 Toyota Corolla. Investigators also want to question Guzman about the February 20, 2018, shooting deaths of Mariano Panduro Campos, 41, and Gerardo "Jerry" De Luna, 33, on Campos' property in Littlerock.
The case remains open, with investigators continuing to search for Guzman and any additional evidence that could shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Lara Paez, Arvizu, and Lara. The community and law enforcement hope that the reward and ongoing investigation will eventually lead to justice for the victims and their families.
