With the assistance of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Dive Team, Turlock Police Investigators were dredging the bottom of the lake at Donnelly Park in search of evidence from last week’s shooting of a 21-year-old man.
It’s believed the investigators were searching for a gun used in the fatal shooting of Amritpal Sandhu of Modesto.
Sandhu was found shot to death Nov. 6 in his car, which had run up a curb near E. Main Street and Minaret Avenue. Sandhu’s 911 call said people were shooting at him while he was driving southbound on Highway 99, near the Taylor Road exit.
Arrested and charged for Sandhu’s murder were Pardeep Singh, 21, of Turlock, and Kultar Singh Dhatt, 22, of Turlock. Both are being held at the Stanislaus County Jail and are awaiting an arraignment.
Through the investigation, detectives learned that a piece of evidence may have been thrown into a specific area of the lake at Donnelly Park, said Turlock Police spokesperson Officer Mayra Lewis.
Investigators learned the information last week, but Thursday was the first day they could coordinate with the dive team.
The dive team spent several hours in the lake methodically searching it with a metal detector.
If the search does not turn up the evidence, the police department is considering draining the lake, Lewis said.
This is an ongoing investigation and police are still asking anyone who may have information about the case to contact Detective Timothy Redd at 668-5550 ext. 6625.