Investigators in California are not saying who they think pulled the trigger, but they have charged a man, his wife, and their son with homicide and conspiracy for allegedly fatally shooting the woman’s longtime lover and leaving him in a ravine, PEOPLE confirms.
According to a statement from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, a bullet-riddled van with blood on it was found abandoned along a Santa Rosa, California, road Friday morning, prompting a search for the driver.
Police later found the body of an Latino man in his 30s down a ravine not far from the van. His name has not been released.
Detectives were called out and processed the scene for evidence, the statement says.
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“Evidence located within the vehicle led detectives to a Santa Rosa motel where they were able to get check-in information and surveillance video linking the victim to the primary suspect identified as Maria Guadalupe Torres, a 40 year-old woman from Clearlake,” the statement alleges.
Detectives were able to track down Torres as well as her son, 20-year-old Rene Espinoza Martinez, Jr., and her husband, 40-year-old Rene Espinoza Martinez, Sr.
“Through interviews with the parties, detectives learned that Maria Torres had been involved in a lengthy romantic relationship with the victim,” the statement alleges. “Maria’s husband and son recently became aware of this relationship and didn’t approve.”
According to investigators, Maria was allegedly with the victim minutes before he was shot.
The statement alleges that the victim pulled his van over to the side of the road, and Torres exited the vehicle just as the father and son pulled up.
“They fired a gun from their car into the driver side of the ,” the statement alleges. “The victim was shot and fled out the passenger side. … He ran to the ravine where he fell and was left for dead.”
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Detectives allege the three family members “acted in concert in the homicide.”
All three are being held without bail, and have not yet entered pleas to the homicide and conspiracy charges filed against them.
Police are interesting in speaking to any potential witnesses to the shooting.
It was unclear Monday if Torres, her husband, or her son has retained attorneys who could comment on their behalf.