Jose Proano, 44, faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of his stepfather, Jorge Vazquez-Escutia, 71. Proano, who was on probation stemming from a 2022 burglary charge, was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
The investigation began on Aug. 3, when family members reported Vazquez-Escutia missing. They found his phone, wallet, and keys at his home, along with what appeared to be blood on the fence. His cars were in the driveway with the doors unlocked, and he had not been seen for three days. A family member told authorities that friends of Proano had claimed he confessed to killing his stepfather.
Around the same time, the Orange County Sheriff's Office released a social media post seeking the public's assistance in locating Vazquez-Escutia, citing concerns for his well-being due to memory loss.
Security footage from a neighbor's camera captured a man, identified by investigators as Proano, entering Vazquez-Escutia's property on the morning of Aug. 2. Later that day, the video showed the same man carrying suitcases out of the house and placing what appeared to be a human arm into one of them. The man was seen leaving the property later that afternoon with three heavy suitcases.
Investigators reviewed Proano's phone records, which indicated his cell phone had been in the vicinity of the crime scene around the same time the man in the video was active. Proano initially denied the person in the video was him but later admitted his cell phone was present at the scene.
On Aug. 4, shortly before midnight, deputies searching the area around Vazquez-Escutia's home discovered three suitcases. One suitcase, found behind a brick wall, emitted an odor, and a crime scene investigator found a human head inside, identified as Vazquez-Escutia. Two more suitcases were found approximately 400 feet away along a roadway. Luggage tags with Proano's mother's name were attached to them. Inside these suitcases, investigators found tarps and additional body parts belonging to the victim.
Proano reportedly told investigators he had a negative relationship with his stepfather and believed Vazquez-Escutia restricted his access to his mother. He also disclosed that he has schizophrenia and experiences auditory hallucinations that cause him to worry about family members. Records show Proano had made previous calls to 911 expressing concerns about his mother's safety, and deputies had checked on her and found everything to be well.
Investigators observed "defensive style injuries" on Proano's body, including scratches on his hands and arms, and a significant scratch on his right cheek.
In 2022, Proano was charged with crimes related to an armed burglary. He was serving probation until 2027 after his sentence was significantly reduced from a potential 20 years. His current charges are alleged violations of his probation terms.
Proano is being held without bond in Orange County. His public defender has declined to comment on the case.