Dozens of community members held a vigil for the safe return of 4-year-old Juliani Cardenas (right).
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Photos: Weird CaliforniaPATTERSON, Calif. (CBS13) – The fourth vehicle discovered by divers in the Delta-Mendota Canal is not a match that is connected to the kidnapping of a 4-year-old boy, Juliani Cardenas, and his alleged kidnapper, Jose Rodriguez,according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities determined that the car was not the vehicle driven by the suspect after they pulled the car from the canal Friday evening. Sheriff’s deputies say that that the car is yet another stolen vehicle that has been pulled from the canal.
The third vehicle to be pulled from the Delta-Mendota canal on Friday afternoon in Patterson, California as part of a search for the missing boy, was also not the one reportedly seen plunging into the water two days ago.
During a press conference Friday, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson confirmed the car, which appeared to be a red Ford Mustang, wasn’t being driven by the suspect.
But, Sheriff’s officials still believe that the suspect’s vehicle may still be in the canal. There are three tubes at the bottom of the canal that feed into a siphon to filter the water. The red Ford Mustang found on Friday was actually stuck in between two of those tubes. But now, deputies believe the car in question could have went through one of the tubes.
Friday’s search took place on the north side of the siphon, so if the car went through the tube, it would be located on the south side.
Search teams began scouring the canal Wednesday after a witness says he saw a vehicle matching the description of 27-year-old Jose Esteban Rodriguez’s car going into the Delta-Mendota Canal just off Zacharias Road near Highway 33 in Patterson.
Rodriquez is suspected of snatching 4-year-old Juliani Cardenas from his grandmother’s arms on Tuesday.
At 1 p.m. the water flow in the canal was significantly decreased to allow divers to attach cables to the car detected by sonar. Dive teams had already pulled two cars from the canal, but neither was related to the kidnapping. Both of those vehicles had been reported stolen.
The manhunt began after Rodriguez, the ex-boyfriend of the victim’s mother, allegedly made multiple attempts Monday night and Tuesday to abduct Cardenas before breaking into a home on the 300 block of Barros Street, assaulting the victim’s grandmother, and walking off with the boy.
Rodriguez has been convicted of violent crimes in the past, including manslaughter. The boy’s mother said the suspect’s mental state has declined rapidly since their relationship ended several months ago.
“He told me he hears voices. So he’s a schizophrenic, but he hasn’t been diagnosed,” said Tabitha. “He’s lost it.”
Tabitha is eight months pregnant with Rodriguez’s child. The suspect is not the victim’s biological father.
Officers also released surveillance video of Rodriguez buying beer at a nearby convenience store prior to the abduction. The video shows Rodriguez calmly walking in, buying the drinks and calmly walking out. There is also a clear view of his vehicle.
Cardenas is described as 3 feet 6 inches tall, 40 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing dark pants, a light blue shirt, and black Spider-Man shoes that light up. Rodriguez is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and was least seen wearing a white and black shirt, checkered shorts and a beanie.
The two might be traveling in a Toyota Corolla with a California license plate number 6HBW445. The car has oversized aluminum wheels and the left rear wheel is a smaller, spare wheel.
Anyone with information on the suspect or victim’s whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.
