Ex-boyfriend, friend arrested after missing 19-year-old California woman found dead, deputies say

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Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Ex-boyfriend, friend arrested after missing 19-year-old Madera woman found dead, deputies say
Two suspects have been arrested after a missing 19-year-old woman was found dead in Madera County.

MADERA, Calif. -- Two suspects have been arrested after a missing 19-year-old woman was found dead in Madera County, California.

The Madera County Sheriff's Office says Melanie Rios Camacho's remains were found in an orchard on Avenue 20.

Deputies have taken 23-year-old Vicente Jasso, Camacho's ex-boyfriend, into custody for her murder.

He was arrested after leading deputies on a high-speed chase from Madera to Turlock on Monday morning.

Photos of Vicente Jasso (left) and Jose Lopez Hernandez (right) were provided by the Madera County Sheriff's Office.

During the chase, deputies say Jasso threw several of Melanie's belongings out of his van, including her driver's license.

Officials say 22-year-old Jose Lopez Hernandez, Jasso's friend, was arrested for accessory to murder.

Camacho had last been seen leaving her job at an AutoZone in Madera shortly after 10 pm on Friday.

Investigators say Camacho had told her mother she was going to hang out with a friend after work, but she had actually gone to see Jasso.

Camacho's mother reported her missing Saturday morning after realizing she had never come home the night before.

Two hours later, Camacho's vehicle was found on fire in a farm area off Avenue 14 near Road 8.

Full press conference: Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue announces 19-year-old Melanie Rios Camacho has been found dead.

Deputies say Camacho and Jasso had broken up three days before Thanksgiving.