Body found east of Mendota investigated as homicide

A young man found dead on a riverbank east of Mendota Tuesday morning has sparked a homicide investigation, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.

Spokesman Tony Botti said the body, later identified as 19-year-old Jose Delcid Escalante of Mendota, was found by a worker on San Mateo Avenue just north of Whites Bridge Avenue/Highway 180 just before 10:45 a.m. Escalante had visible injuries, but Botti declined to share the specifics.

Botti said Escalante’s killing doesn’t appear to be a random act, meaning the victim was targeted by someone else. Detectives aren’t sure how long he had been on the bank, but it appears to have been only a few days or so.

No other information was immediately available. This is the fifth homicide in unincorporated Fresno County this year.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call either Detective Adam Maldonado at 559-600-8208 or Detective Jose Mora at 559-600-8205.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Body found east of Mendota investigated as homicide."