Photo Courtesy: DMV Murder victim, Alberto “Jimmy” Felix

By Claire Lewis

Victorville – On Tues., Mar. 17, deputies from the Victorville Police Department received a report on a possible missing person.  Alberto “Jimmy” Felix, 34, of Victorville, had not been seen or heard from since that previous Sunday.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the suspicious nature of the investigation led detectives to involve the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigation Division.  On Wed., Mar. 18, they looked into a residence in the 14300 block of Cactus Drive in Victorville.

At that time, evidence suggested that Felix had been murdered.  The Specialized investigators and homicide personnel worked with the Sheriff’s Aviation Division, using both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters to investigate leads and specific locations, and their diligence soon paid off.

On Thurs., May 21, the Team served a search warrant at an Apple Valley residence, where they were led to a shallow grave in the desert, just northwest of the Town of Apple Valley.  Human remains were found and recovered from the grave.

On Fri., May 22, those remains were positively identified as Felix; an autopsy is in progress to determine the cause of death.

Suspects Zachary Barron, 23, of Victorville, and Anthony Tapia, 32 of Apple Valley, were arrested for the murder of Felix, and booked into the High Desert Detention Center without bail.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Ed De La Torre or Sergeant Robert Warrick at (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.