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published on November 12, 2021 - 3:10 PM
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The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest Friday of local brothers on murder charges of a farmworker who was on the job near Huron.

Vincent Cerna
Victor Cerna
Victor Cerna

 

Deputies have arrested Reedley brothers Victor Cerna, 30, and Vincent Cerna, 32, on homicide charges. Their bails are set at $4.5 million.

It was around 7:30 a.m. on April 16 when duties received a report of shots fired in a vineyard at Butte and Chandler avenues near Huron in Western Fresno County. They found Jose Mendez Varela, 19 of Coalinga, shot to death. Two other men who suffered multiple gunshot wounds survived their injuries.

The victims were pruning grape vines along with the Cernas, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The group got into an argument and the Cernas pulled out guns and began shooting, according to the Sheriff’s Office. They later fled in a car.

A break in the case came in June when Mexican police contacted the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office to notify them two Americans, Victor and Vincent Cerna, were in custody in Mexico City for drug offenses. A records search reveled they were wanted for murder in Fresno County.

The Cernas were transported to Los Angeles County Jail on Nov. 1. Four days later they were transferred to Fresno County jail.

Anyone with further information on the case is asked to contact Detective Jesse Gloria at 559-600-8217 or Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.


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