The San Diego Police Department has identified the male and female found in a vehicle at Golden Acorn Casino. Around 12:25 p.m. on December 26, 2023, officers from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol contacted the San Diego Police Department after finding a vehicle linked to a missing persons case from San Ysidro. The vehicle was found in the parking lot of the Golden Acorn Casino at 1800 Golden Acorn Way in Campo, California.

A deceased male and a deceased female were found in the vehicle. Detectives responded to that location and are investigating. The initial investigation suggested that the male and female were missing under suspicious circumstances, according to detectives. The nature of what occurred and why they were missing remains under investigation.

Detectives say they were a married couple living separately and there was likely a domestic violence incident before they were reported missing. Authorities say the male appeared to be deceased from a self-inflicted single gunshot wound to the head. Detectives say the preliminary investigation indicates his death was a suicide.

According to investigators, it was later determined that the female died from strangulation and her death was a homicide. Police believe this was a tragic case of domestic violence. The suspect in the case has been identified as 52-year-old Johnny Soto of San Ysidro. The female victim has been identified as 45-year-old Melissa Soto of Ysidro.