DELANO - An elderly Delano man who disappeared Wednesday was found dead early Friday morning. Delano Police said the body of 88-year-old John Holguin Espinoza was discovered inside the trunk of his 2013 Hyundai Sonata, submerged in the Friant Canal east of Delano.
Espinoza, known as "Johnny" around town, was a very independent and active senior. His family and friends said everyone in Delano knew Espinoza. Even the detectives investigating his death have sat in his barber chair.
"You don't want the last memory of your father being hurt or suffering or some bodily injury done to him," said Espinoza's only child, Andy Espinoza. "You don't want that as your last memory."
Andy Espinoza said his father was born and raised in Delano. He was a barber for more than 50 years. He served in the Navy during World War II and was a founding member of the Mexican Pioneers of Delano.
"He was a happy man," said his son. "He enjoyed his customers. He enjoyed talking to them, enjoyed their families. He was a person who really cared for people."
On Wednesday afternoon, Espinoza mysteriously disappeared after checking on one of his four rental properties. That morning, Espinoza cut a friend's hair in his garage. The friend named "Monty" told Espinoza's best friend, they met at eleven Wednesday morning.
"He said, 'Yeah, he gave me a haircut and then at 11:30 the renter called. And so, he says 'I can't talk to you. I have to go and pick up the rent," said Rodger Gadiano, Espinoza's best friend.
The friend told Gadiano he and Espinoza left Espinoza's house at the same time. That was the last time his friends saw him.
Espinoza's son tried to call his dad Wednesday at 9 p.m. for their nightly phone call.
"He didn't answer his cell phone. I called him about 16 times," said Andy Espinoza, who called Gadiano the next morning when his father still did not answer.
"We checked the house out and nothing was stolen, nothing was missing," said Gadiano, who said the gate was open and the doors unlocked, which wasn't normal for Espinoza because he was methodical about locking the house when he left.
"The bed was not slept in. Everything was neat. The windows were open. And, it wasn't like Johnny," he continued.
The two men reported Espinoza missing that morning. Thursday evening, California Highway Patrol officers found Espinoza's car in the Friant Canal off 9th Avenue, east of Delano.
"They pulled his vehicle out of the water and discovered his body was in the trunk of the vehicle," said Delano Police Commander Lynn Venables.
His death is being investigated as a homicide. An autopsy is scheduled for next week to determine how Espinoza died.
But, why someone would hurt him remains a mystery to his son and friends.
"He just was a wonderful person," said Espinoza's friend Simona Forsythe. "A wonderful human being. He just was."
"I may not know everyone, but I'll tell you, maybe at his funeral people will tell me, 'I knew Johnny and this is what he did for me'," said Andy Espinoza.
Delano Police are asking the public for help. If you remember seeing Espinoza's grey 2013 Hyundai Sonata being driven Wednesday afternoon, call police at 721-3356.
Espinoza, known as "Johnny" around town, was a very independent and active senior. His family and friends said everyone in Delano knew Espinoza. Even the detectives investigating his death have sat in his barber chair.
"You don't want the last memory of your father being hurt or suffering or some bodily injury done to him," said Espinoza's only child, Andy Espinoza. "You don't want that as your last memory."
Andy Espinoza said his father was born and raised in Delano. He was a barber for more than 50 years. He served in the Navy during World War II and was a founding member of the Mexican Pioneers of Delano.
"He was a happy man," said his son. "He enjoyed his customers. He enjoyed talking to them, enjoyed their families. He was a person who really cared for people."
On Wednesday afternoon, Espinoza mysteriously disappeared after checking on one of his four rental properties. That morning, Espinoza cut a friend's hair in his garage. The friend named "Monty" told Espinoza's best friend, they met at eleven Wednesday morning.
"He said, 'Yeah, he gave me a haircut and then at 11:30 the renter called. And so, he says 'I can't talk to you. I have to go and pick up the rent," said Rodger Gadiano, Espinoza's best friend.
The friend told Gadiano he and Espinoza left Espinoza's house at the same time. That was the last time his friends saw him.
Espinoza's son tried to call his dad Wednesday at 9 p.m. for their nightly phone call.
"He didn't answer his cell phone. I called him about 16 times," said Andy Espinoza, who called Gadiano the next morning when his father still did not answer.
"We checked the house out and nothing was stolen, nothing was missing," said Gadiano, who said the gate was open and the doors unlocked, which wasn't normal for Espinoza because he was methodical about locking the house when he left.
"The bed was not slept in. Everything was neat. The windows were open. And, it wasn't like Johnny," he continued.
The two men reported Espinoza missing that morning. Thursday evening, California Highway Patrol officers found Espinoza's car in the Friant Canal off 9th Avenue, east of Delano.
"They pulled his vehicle out of the water and discovered his body was in the trunk of the vehicle," said Delano Police Commander Lynn Venables.
His death is being investigated as a homicide. An autopsy is scheduled for next week to determine how Espinoza died.
But, why someone would hurt him remains a mystery to his son and friends.
"He just was a wonderful person," said Espinoza's friend Simona Forsythe. "A wonderful human being. He just was."
"I may not know everyone, but I'll tell you, maybe at his funeral people will tell me, 'I knew Johnny and this is what he did for me'," said Andy Espinoza.
Delano Police are asking the public for help. If you remember seeing Espinoza's grey 2013 Hyundai Sonata being driven Wednesday afternoon, call police at 721-3356.