On the evening of January 26, 2021, 16-year-old Juan Tomas Santos Bautista was found deceased in his car at the northbound French Prairie Rest Area on Interstate 5 near Wilsonville, Oregon. An acquaintance, Cesar Soto Gama, also 16 at the time, was identified as the suspect in the shooting death.
Juan was reportedly driving from his mother's residence in Salem, Oregon, to his father's home in Washington and was traveling with Soto Gama.
After Juan went missing, his father was able to track messages which led him to discover his son's body at the rest stop the following day. According to Juan's sister, his laptop and a satchel he carried were missing from the vehicle.
Investigators identified Cesar Soto Gama as the primary suspect, and he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon. Both Juan and Soto Gama had previously been students in the Vancouver Public Schools district in Washington. Soto Gama was taken into custody in Washington and subsequently waived his right to contest extradition to Oregon to face the charges against him.
Following his extradition to Clackamas County, Oregon, further details about the progression and final outcome of Cesar Soto Gama's court case, including whether he was tried as a juvenile or an adult and the specific details of any conviction or sentencing, are not available in the public domain. His court appearance was noted in February 2021, and at that time, it was uncertain how the case would proceed through the justice system. Information regarding Juan Tomas Santos Bautista's ethnicity has not been made publicly available. He was remembered by his family as a loving and bubbly individual who enjoyed making others laugh and smile.
