Suspect in 2004 fatal crash in Merced found shot dead in Mexico

A decade-long search for a man accused of killing two Merced County girls in a car crash has come to a strange and violent end, with authorities confirming Monday he was shot to death in Mexico.

Salvador Alejo Solis of Hornitos skipped bail in 2004 while facing charges in the deaths of Brenda Reyes and Kristen Johnson, both 14, who were passengers in the car that crashed.

Alejo Solis, 32, was alleged to have been driving the car on Oct. 9, 2004, and then fleeing the scene. Reyes died instantly; Johnson died 10 days later and another passenger, 15-year-old Joanna Valencia, was treated for injuries suffered in the crash.

Reyes’ family says Alejo Solis apparently had been trying to “impress” the young girls by drag racing his sports car.

The search for Alejo Solis had continued through the years. On Monday, the California Highway Patrol confirmed he was found shot to death in western Mexico.

Mexican newspapers reported that Alejo Solis had been shot several times and left in the tractor-trailer he drove. His body was found last August in Uruapan, a city in the western state of Michoacan. The reports said he had been gagged, and his hands and feet had been bound.

El Sol de Morelia, a newspaper in the state capital, said his family went out looking for him after he failed to return home and found him dead.

CHP Officer Moises Onsurez told the Sun-Star, “our investigators have worked with Mexican authorities and they have been able to confirm that Mr. Solis, the suspect in our case, was the victim of that shooting in Mexico.”

The Mexican reports did not offer information on any possible motive. Michoacan state has seen high rates of drug cartel-related violence. A U.S. State Department advisory warns against non-essential travel to the state.

News of Alejo Solis’ death was met with mixed emotions by the family of Brenda Reyes. Her mother, Gabriela Rodriguez, said she was relieved that her family would finally find some measure of closure after so many years.

“But, I didn’t want him to die. I know what that feels like. Imagine his poor mother,” Rodriguez told the Sun-Star on Monday. “I have so many questions I want answered that won’t get answered now.”

Family members said the death closed a long, painful chapter of their lives, but also robbed them of the opportunity to confront Alejo Solis.

“Why? Why did this happen? Why did you just leave them there,” said Rojelia Rodriguez, Reyes’ aunt. “I wanted a trial. I wanted a trial and I wanted to see him do the time (in prison).”

Relatives have received conflicting accounts of the deadly crash, with questions remaining about the use of seat belts, why the car was speeding and where they were going.

Gabriela Rodriguez said she hasn’t had any contact with the families of the other two victims. “I would like to, though, if they want,” she said.

The night of the crash, Gabriela Rodriguez dropped her daughter off at a friend’s house for a sleepover party. “She hugged me and told me she’d always be with me and then she went into the house – that was the last time I talked to her.”

According to Sun-Star archives, the teenagers sneaked out to a party, where they apparently met Alejo Solis. Reyes, an eighth-grade student at Hoover Middle School, was riding in a 1996 Ford Mustang convertible that spun out of control, went airborne, struck a utility pole and flipped over. The crash occurred on Gerard Avenue, east of Tyler Road, just outside south Merced.

Alejo Solis ran away from the scene and was arrested a few hours later by the CHP. The next morning, he posted $10,000 bail and then disappeared. A $250,000 warrant was issued for his arrest. The following year, the TV show “America’s Most Wanted” mentioned the ongoing search for him.

Reyes’ family held out hope for years that Alejo Solis would be captured. Frequently, relatives visit Reyes’ grave at Calvary Cemetery in Merced, taking her favorite snacks (Flamin’ Hot Cheetos), which they leave for her.

Family members described Reyes as a bright, smiling, energetic teenager, bouncing with energy and smiles. She was the youngest of five children.

“I’d hoped she would’ve been a teacher,” her mother said. “She was good with the kids and I think she would’ve been good at that.”

Gabriela Rodriguez said she finds comfort in her 17 grandchildren and her great-grandson, but also feels that something is always missing.

“I feel like I’m never going to be happy. I’m angry,” Rodriguez said. “I know I will get to see her again – but I just miss her so much.”

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Suspect in 2004 fatal crash in Merced found shot dead in Mexico."