Merced County, CA · Daily edition

Merced County news for Saturday, October 24, 2026

2 stories from Merced County, in about three minutes.

Crime · Merced County

Turlock Man Charged with Murder in Hollister Resident's Death

California Highway Patrol investigators arrested Manual Salceda, 39, of Turlock on Oct. 11 for the murder of Javier Becerril Jr., a Hollister resident found dead in Merced County in July. The arrest followed a three-month investigation into Becerril’s death, which occurred after he was physically assaulted and placed in the trunk of a Tesla on Highway 152. Salceda was apprehended at a gas station in Woodland and charged with murder in Merced County Superior Court on Oct. 20.

Source: The Weekly (San Benito) Read the full story ↗

Community News

Central Valley Rainfall Totals Vary Widely After Recent Storm

A widespread storm system brought rainfall to California from Tuesday evening through Friday morning, with totals varying significantly across the Central Valley. Sacramento International Airport recorded 0.45 inches, while nearby Merced saw a higher total of 1.52 inches. Fresno and Modesto received lower amounts at 0.21 and 0.27 inches respectively. Forecasters indicate that El Niño conditions will likely lead to increased rainfall frequency in the coming weeks.

Source: Sacramento Bee Read the full story ↗