Body Found Buried in Pico Rivera Backyard Identified

Neighbor claims body is that of a male gang member

The body of a 19-year-old man that was found buried in the backyard of a Pico Rivera home earlier this week has been identified, it was reported.

An autopsy concluded that Joseph Rubalcaba died from a gunshot wound to the head, Los Angeles County Department of Corner's Lt. Larry Dietz told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Family members discovered the body Wednesday evening at a home in the 8500 block of Pico Vista Road where they say Rubalcaba frequented.

When no one answered the door , the relatives went to the backyard, where they discovered a freshly dug grave.  They started to remove the dirt and found the body.
Carlos Leyva, a friend of Rubalcaba, told NBCLA the victim was a gang member and that his family wanted more for him.

"They didn't want him in a gang banging life.  They didn't want him doing drugs.  They just wanted him to be a good guy, like every parent wants," Leyva said.

Officials removed the body Thursday afternoon along with eight bags of evidence.  The body was initially estimated to have been buried within the previous week, according to the Coroner's Office cited in the Tribune.

No suspects have been identified in the case. A motive was not immediately known.
 

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