Police arrested 25-year-old Jeremiah Velasquez Jr. on a murder charge after previously collected DNA evidence linked him to the 2024 killing of Mario Rosales Jr. in Visalia. (Visalia PD)
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DNA evidence has led to the arrest of a suspect in connection with a 2024 homicide that had gone cold, the Visalia Police Department said Wednesday.
Police said officers responded at about 3:48 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2024, to the 900 block of East Tulare Avenue after receiving a report of an assault involving a man who was not breathing.
Officers found the victim, later identified as Mario Rosales Jr., unresponsive and suffering from a severe head injury. Rosales later died from his injuries.
Detectives with the Visalia Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation. Authorities said detectives pursued leads over the next two years, but the case eventually went cold.
In 2026, detectives reexamined the case and identified previously collected DNA evidence that led to the identification of Jeremiah Velasquez Jr., 25, as the suspect, police said.
Velasquez was arrested Wednesday and booked on a charge of murder.
Got a Tip?
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Chandler at (559) 713-4162.
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Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email.
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