October 02, 2026
Mistaken Identity: New Dad of Triplets Kidnapped from a Temple — Manhunt On for Three Suspects
Photo of Avtar Singh: GoFundMe via KCRA/CNN; suspect photos: San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office
A California father of newborn triplets was kidnapped in broad daylight from a place of worship — and investigators say he wasn't even the man his killers were looking for.
Avtar Singh, 57, was taken Feb. 17 from a Sikh temple (gurdwara) in Tracy, California. Surveillance footage showed him with three individuals in dark clothing, putting him into a vehicle against his will. Three days later, his body was found in a remote area near Lake Berryessa in Napa County — more than 100 miles from where he was taken.
The wrong man
Investigators with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office believe Singh was a victim of mistaken identity. The suspects were allegedly targeting a different man — one who was in Canada at the time — over a stolen cargo trailer. That man and his family had been receiving threats, authorities said. Between Feb. 25 and Feb. 27, investigators traveled to Canada to interview him.
The motive, according to the sheriff's office: the stolen trailer was enough for the three men to chase down the intended target and kill him. Instead, they took Singh.
"They did not know who they had taken," San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said at a press conference. "This innocent man, who was not even the intended target of this, paid for it with his life."
Singh had lived on the temple's grounds with his wife and children. Withrow remembered him as a pillar of his community: "He was such a good person. He cooked for everybody at the temple, and he took care of anything that was broken. This man was taken from a place of worship in broad daylight because of a theft that had nothing to do with him."
The three suspects — at large
On Wednesday, the sheriff's office announced that three men have been indicted in connection with Singh's death on charges including murder with special circumstances and kidnapping:
- Alberto Alencastro, 25 (also listed as Alberto Alonso Alencastro)
- Alfonso Segura, 20 (also listed as Alfonso Cresencio Segura Arellano)
- Barnabe Segura, 22 (also listed as Barnabe Antonio Segura Arellano)
The men are from Vallejo, have ties to Mexico, and remain at large. Authorities consider them armed and dangerous and urge the public not to approach them. If convicted, they face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Surveillance footage showed Singh had been kidnapped by three people in a white crossover-style SUV. Detectives used Flock license-plate-reader technology to track the vehicle to Vallejo and seized it on Feb. 19.
A $50,000 reward and a promise
The Sikh community is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspects' arrests. Withrow says investigators made a promise to Singh's wife when the case began.
"We gave her our word then and we give her our word now that we will not let this go by without finding these individuals," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Source: KCRA via CNN / People — read the original report
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