California father of infant triplets was kidnapped from a temple and killed in an apparent mistaken identity case. Now, three suspects are wanted

Three Bay Area men have been identified as suspects in the kidnapping and death of a Tracy man, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday. Authorities are now launching a manhunt for the three individuals who remain at large.

According to SFGATE, the investigation centers on the death of Avtar Singh, 57, a prominent volunteer at a Tracy Sikh temple. Singh was kidnapped on February 17 and later found dead near Lake Berryessa, near Napa Valley, California, on February 20. Authorities have stated that this was an apparent case of mistaken identity, as the intended target was in Canada at the time of the incident.

Authorities identified Alberto Alencastro, 25; Alfonso Segura, 20; and Barnabe Segura, 22 as the suspects, per SFGATE. All three men are from Vallejo, and officials believe that they have ties to Mexico. They have been indicted on charges that include murder with special circumstances and kidnapping. Capt. Joe Petrino of the sheriff’s office noted that detectives served multiple search warrants in Vallejo.

Surveillance footage and plate readers led detectives to Vallejo

KCRA reported that Singh was kidnapped from the Sikh temple in Tracy. Surveillance footage showed that he had been kidnapped by three people who traveled in a white SUV. Flock license plate reader technology identified the suspect vehicle, and investigators eventually tracked it to Vallejo, where they seized it on February 19.

“This was about a theft of cargo,” Sheriff Patrick Withrow said, according to SFGATE. “Someone involved in that world made a decision that they put themselves above others and put others in danger, and when that danger came knocking, that individual wasn’t here; he was in Canada. His family was still here. Mr. Singh was still here.” 

Withrow added, “This innocent man, who was not even the intended target of this, paid for it with his life. This happened right here in our own backyard. This man was taken from a place of worship in broad daylight because of a theft that had nothing to do with him.”

PEOPLE reported that Singh was a new father to triplets who were six months old at the time of his death. His family described him as a beloved fixture in the Sikh community who served at the temple. 

A GoFundMe page reportedly set up for his family stated, “He was known for his humility, quiet dedication, and loving nature that made everyone feel like family.” The page further noted, “His seva (service), sincerity, and unwavering faith touched countless lives, and his absence leaves a profound void in our community.”

An earlier report by PEOPLE described the moments leading up to the abduction. A temple spokesperson, Deep Singh, who is not related to the victim, explained that Avtar lived at the temple with his wife and children. Surveillance footage showed a man exiting a white SUV and knocking on the door to the temple’s laundry. When no one answered, the man tried Avtar’s door. 

According to Deep, Avtar had difficulty understanding the man and called another individual who lives at the temple to translate. The man on the phone shared the same first name as the person the kidnapper was looking for, which created confusion. Avtar eventually handed the phone to the kidnapper, who wanted to know if the man on the line was the person he was searching for and if he had his “stuff.”

PEOPLE noted that after the translator questioned what “stuff” the man was referring to, the kidnapper did not respond. Surveillance footage showed Avtar walking to the SUV with the man, and although Avtar attempted to escape at one point, two other men exited the vehicle, hit him, threw him to the ground, and forced him into the car.

In his comments, recorded by KCRA, Withrow stated that it was hard to feel sorry for the intended victim. He said, “I just hope it’s used as an example to others who may be in this line of work of stealing cargo and being involved in that. Look what this brings.” He then noted, “We gave [Avtar’s wife] our word then, and we give her our word now that we will not let this go by without finding these individuals.” 

The outlet wrote that the San Joaquin County District Attorney, Ron Freitas, stated that the three suspects could face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Additionally, per SFGATE, the Sheriff’s office has said that the Sikh community is offering a $50,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects. Authorities have warned that the men should be considered armed and dangerous and that the public should not attempt to approach them.