Executive Summary
- FBI and Imperial County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect in Salton City connected to T’Neya Tovar’s death.
- The arrest follows the DNA confirmation of human remains discovered in December 2025.
- Authorities are withholding the suspect’s identity and mugshot until Tuesday.
- A $10,000 reward for information remains active despite the arrest.
SALTON CITY, Calif. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that an arrest was made in connection with the investigation into the disappearance and death of 17-year-old T’Neya “TT” Tovar. This development follows a joint operation executed by federal agents and local law enforcement in Salton City shortly after forensic experts identified human remains found in the area.
According to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, the arrest occurred on Friday following a raid at a property previously linked to the case. Chief Deputy Murad Masad confirmed that a person was detained at the scene. Witnesses observed FBI officials, Imperial County Sheriff’s deputies, and members of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Canine Team conducting operations at the residence. Imperial County Corrections officials stated that the suspect’s name and official mugshot will be withheld from the public until Tuesday.
The arrest follows the forensic identification of human remains discovered in the area on December 21, 2025. Deputies initially responded to a report of found remains near Portsmouth Avenue and Newhaven Court in Vista Delmar, locating a human leg in a state of decomposition. While initial pathology reports could not determine the demographics of the victim, the Sheriff’s Office Scientific Investigations Unit eventually secured a positive DNA match on February 6, 2026. Authorities confirmed the identity of the remains as Tovar after obtaining a comparison sample from her mother, Charro Tovar.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Investigative Trajectory
The active retention of the $10,000 reward for information suggests that while a suspect is in custody, the investigation remains fluid and authorities may be seeking further corroboration or additional suspects. The timeline—spanning from the December discovery to a February identification and subsequent arrest—highlights the critical reliance on advanced DNA forensics in resolving cases where physical evidence is degraded. The coordination between the FBI and multiple county sheriff’s departments indicates a high-priority effort to solidify the evidentiary chain for prosecution.
