Three Indicted in Kidnapping and Murder of Tracy Sikh Father Avtar Singh; Nationwide Manhunt On

Three men have been indicted in the kidnapping and murder of Avtar Singh, a 57-year-old Sikh father of newborn triplets who was abducted in broad daylight from a gurdwara in Tracy, California, in February. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office and the FBI announced the indictments on Wednesday, September 30, and said all three suspects remain at large and are considered armed and dangerous.

The indictment

The indicted men are Alberto Alencastro, 25, Alfonso Segura Arellano, 20, and Barnabe Segura Arellano, 22 — all from the Vallejo area of California's Bay Area. Investigators say they face charges including murder with special circumstances and kidnapping in connection with Singh's death. San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow told a news conference that Singh did not go quietly: the father 'put up a fight and he took pieces of them with him,' Withrow said, adding that the victim's DNA may help the prosecution.

Singh was a chef at the Tracy gurdwara. On February 17, 2026, he was seized from the temple premises while his young triplets sat in his vehicle. His body was found three days later near Lake Berryessa in Napa County, more than a hundred miles away — ending a desperate search that had gripped California's Sikh community.

A case of mistaken identity

In a cruel twist, investigators say Avtar Singh was not the person the kidnappers wanted. The three suspects were allegedly hunting a different man — in Canada — who had been threatened in connection with a stolen cargo trailer. Singh, authorities say, was mistakenly identified as the intended target and snatched from the gurdwara. Between February 25 and 27, investigators travelled to Canada to interview the man they believe the kidnappers were actually after.

The trail to the suspects ran through surveillance technology. Flock license-plate reader data identified a white crossover SUV seen at the abduction; detectives tracked it to Vallejo and seized it on February 19, two days after the kidnapping. Search warrants followed in Vallejo, where the three men were last confirmed to be.

The manhunt and reward

Authorities are now asking for the public's help to find the three men, who have ties to Mexico. The sheriff's office has urged people not to approach the suspects because they are considered dangerous. The local Sikh community has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to their arrests, and officials have warned that the case could involve cross-jurisdiction work if the suspects leave California.

Federal involvement underscores the seriousness of the case. The FBI joined the investigation early, and officials say a nationwide manhunt is underway. Anyone who recognises the suspects or has information about their whereabouts has been asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.

Shock across the Sikh diaspora

The case has shaken Sikh communities far beyond Tracy. Singh was taken from a place of worship in daylight, in front of his infant children — a detail that has drawn anguish and outrage across California and in Punjab, where the story has been closely followed. Community leaders have pointed to the case as a reminder of the vulnerability of ordinary families to organised crime, and of how quickly a case of mistaken identity can turn fatal.

For the Singh family, the indictments are a first step. The three suspects now face the possibility of decades or life in prison if convicted — but for now, the sheriff's warning stands: they are out there, armed, and the search continues.