Patterson Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Homicide After Body Found In California Aqueduct

WESTLEY (CBS13) — Detectives say a man has been arrested on suspicion of homicide after a body was found in the California Aqueduct near Westley.

Stanislaus County deputies responded on Tuesday to the area of the aqueduct near the 6700 block of McCracken Road to investigate a report of a person in the water.

At the scene, deputies found a deceased man in the canal. He has since been identified as 62-year-old Patterson resident Anthony Pistoia.

On Wednesday, the sheriff's office announced that they had arrested 33-year-old Patterson resident Juan Ramon Haro Ortega on suspicion of homicide in connection to the death. Detectives say Ortega and Pistoia were roommates.

Exactly how Pistoia died, and how his body ended up in the canal, is still under investigation. The sheriff's office did say the primary crime scene is the residence where the men lived along the 1100 block of Tern Wary in Patterson.

Ortega has been booked into Stanislaus County Public Safety Center and is being held without bail.