Family pleads for answers after California man's mysterious death
The victim's family described him as a kind and caring father and is urging anyone with information to come forward
A Southern California family is searching for answers after a 63-year-old man was found dead under suspicious circumstances at a city park, with investigators continuing to examine the case.
According to the Rialto Police Department, officers responded to Rialto City Park at approximately 5:21 a.m. on July 19 after receiving a 911 call reporting a deceased man.
The victim was identified as Jose De Jesus Arriaga Loza, whose body was discovered in the north-central area of the park.
Police said Arriaga's clothing, wallet, cash and California driver's license were later recovered from a nearby trash can.
Investigators also found injuries to his face that they said were consistent with either a fall or a physical altercation.
Authorities noted that robbery does not appear to have been a motive, and the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
Speaking to KTLA, Arriaga's son, Juan Jose Arriaga Trejo, said his father worked as a cook and was widely respected by those who knew him.
"I have talked to so many coworkers and friends and they all tell me the same thing — he was just admired everywhere he went," Trejo said.
In a GoFundMe campaign created to help cover funeral expenses, the family remembered Arriaga as a compassionate and selfless man who always put others before himself.
"He was the kindest, most caring person you could ever meet," the fundraiser states, adding that his warmth and generosity touched everyone around him.
Trejo said his father's death has left the family devastated.
"He deserved better," he told KTLA. "My father was a great man and for him to have suffered this painful death, I feel like nobody deserves this."
The family is now hoping surveillance footage from nearby cameras will help investigators determine what happened in the hours leading up to Arriaga's death.
Police are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the Rialto Police Department as the investigation continues.