Calif. man faces murder, torture charges in connection with woman’s body found in canal

FRESNO, Calif. (TCN) -- A 48-year-old man is facing murder and torture charges in connection with the body of a woman found in a canal.

On May 10, the severely beaten body of 50-year-old Georgiana McGhee was found in a canal, KFSN reports. According to the Fresno Bee, her death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy found she had died of blunt force trauma not caused by being in the canal.

During the investigation into her death, detectives interviewed her friends and family and learned she had been involved in a dispute about an RV trailer registered to 55-year-old Jerome Saldivar. When police tried to get contact him, they learned had been missing since May 10, the day McGhee’s body was found.

Investigators determined McGhee and Saldivar were associates of Boshay Ware and they all spent time together on the day that McGhee was allegedly killed, according to the Bee.

Ware was arrested May 28 and booked into jail on suspicion of charges including murder and torture, according to the Fresno Bee. 

Police say that during the same incident in which McGhee was beaten and put in the canal, Saldivar was also beaten. According to Lt. Brian Valles, a body was found in the canal on June 3. He said, “This individual has been in the water for some time and has discoloration and things of that nature, so the ID is unknown,” KSFN reports. The body has not yet been identified as Saldivar’s.

According to KFSN, McGhee’s cousin Jackie Smith has known Ware since they were children. She said, “Just because we’ve known a person for so long, you never know what a person may do behind closed doors, you know, but everybody gets caught one day.”

Ware does not have a history of violent crime, police say. According to KFSN, his previous convictions are for minor offenses.

Ware is scheduled to appear in court again on June 11.

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