News & Columns > G.T. Houts > Body Found Near Lytle Creek Identified (Update)

Body Found Near Lytle Creek Identified (Update)

By G.T. Houts
Thursday, August 14, 2008

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Update - Thursday 3:15 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA - The San Bernardino County Coroner has identified the body found Wednesday in the Lytle Creek area as 54-year-old Baraquel Alonzo Cruz from Perris.

San Bernardino County Coroner (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

A news release issued from the Sheriff's Department indicated the dispatch center received a 911 call from a gas station on Sierra Road reporting a possible dead body on Forestry Road 2N57.

The media advisory reported officers responded and found Cruz on the side of the road. The victim, according to the press release, suffered upper body trauma.

Homicide investigators were summoned to the scene to conduct an investigation. During that investigation officers determined Cruz had been missing since Tuesday. They believe Cruz' body was dumped at the location early Wednesday, possibly 8-12 hours prior to the discovery.

Anyone with information about the case — including the person who called 911 — is urged to contact detective Dave Burgess or Sergeant Frank Bell at (909) 387-3589.

Original Story — Wednesday 8:35 p.m.

Lytle Creek, CA – The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has confirmed a body has been found laying in the road where Lytle Creek Road dead ends into the fire station.

Scanner transmissions report the location as near Forest Service Road 2N57.

Station 20 serves the community of Lytle Creek located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The address is 497 Lytle Creek Road. (Photo by San Bernardino County Fire.)

A deputy responded to a call for suspicious circumstances and found the body at 7:38 p.m. The deputy confirmed at 7:46 p.m. that the male was deceased.

Homicide detectives have been summoned to the location.