SANTA ANA – Detectives had a body in a shallow grave, a handful of leads and a suspect in custody, but they were going to need a break in the case if they were to expect a conviction.
That wouldn’t be easy. The man who detectives eyed as the killer was an experienced convict with a lengthy record. Ebrahim Baytieh, the prosecutor on the case, described him as one of the most hardened criminals he’d come across. Rather than be simply arrested, Nicholas Vovos led authorities on two high-speed chases and shot it out with police before surrendering.
Dan Salcedo, a homicide detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, decided to talk to Vovos.
“I still remember (Salcedo) calling me,” Baytieh said, recalling the 2005 case. “He gets him to confess.”
With more than 400 suspicious-death cases and 200 homicide investigations under his belt, Salcedo has a knack for old-fashioned detective work. Colleagues and supervisors said the senior homicide detective did his best work sitting across the table from suspects or knocking on doors. More specifically, the detective was blessed with, as his last supervisor described it, “the gift of gab.”
After 17 years investigating homicides, Salcedo retired this month, leaving a list of killers behind bars.
“Dan (Salcedo) is the real-life Columbo,” said Sgt. Yvonne Shull, referring to the chatty 1970s television detective. “If anything happens to me, I would want him taking my case. He’s the real thing.”
LIKE ‘PUTTING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER’
Salcedo grew up in Santa Ana’s Logan barrio and, despite his parent’s worries, chose a life in law enforcement. Early on, he had his eye on investigations. The homicide unit for him, he said, was the cream of the crop.
“I like the puzzle, and putting the puzzle together,” he said.
Yet Salcedo made his bones as a detective in a different era of investigations, before DNA evidence, computer forensics and cellphone tracking became constant tools. The first piece of advice he got was to carry a pocketful of quarters for the nearest pay phone.
Now digital fingerprints are everywhere, yet Salcedo said he’s always been more comfortable knocking on doors with paper and pencil.
“It took me five years to teach him to turn his computer on,” Baytieh joked. Salcedo was known to physically deliver a piece of paper rather than make it an attachment in an email.
But Salcedo adjusted over the years and adapted to the new tools of the craft. He may not have been a computer whiz, colleagues said, but he knew how to get the information.
“He’s not tech savvy … but he knows how to use resources,” said Sgt. Andre Spencer of the department’s homicide unit.
Former colleagues and supervisors said it was Salcedo’s ability to “chat anyone up” that distinguished him as an investigator over the years, getting criminals to open up about a crime and victims to trust him.
In a November 2003 love-triangle murder, for example, Salcedo’s interview with the shooter, Brandan Dante Perry, helped crack the case, revealing how he and his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Veronica Paz, agreed to kill Diego Armando Gonzalez. Perry also agreed to testify against Paz.
He also was the investigator in the 2004 death of a 72-year-old woman who was bludgeoned to death in Laguna Niguel. Samuel Nelson, 15 at the time of the crime, was charged as an adult and admitted to the crime.
“You have people that start the interview and want to be confrontational,” Baytieh said. “I think he talks to everyone like you’d talk to your neighbor.”
‘WHAT’S THIS GUY ALL ABOUT’?
It was a natural curiosity about people that helped him hone his interviewing skills, Salcedo said.
“There are some times I sit across from a suspect, I think, ‘What’s this guy all about?’” he said. “Why did they do what they did, because there’s no reasonable explanation.”
It was in trying to unravel whos and whys during his assignments that he tried to gain some sort of understanding. In trying to solve a murder case, he said, he hopes he can understand what went wrong.
“That’s what’s strange to me, that people could do that to one another,” he said. “It really didn’t need to happen.”
Especially difficult for him have been cases in which the victims and the suspects were young.
“They’re so young at the time, it’s a tragedy in itself these people are going to spend the rest of their lives in prison,” he said. “I would hope if they got a second chance to commit or not commit the crime, they would choose the latter.”
As Salcedo prepared for retirement last week, his list of people to notify included families of victims he still keeps in contact with. Several of them still call, wanting to know if suspects on the run have been spotted, if trials are moving along or if he’s simply doing well. Some have added him to their Christmas card lists.
“He has the ability to talk to anybody, from the homeless to some millionaire,” Shull said.
TYING UP LOOSE STRINGS
Before retiring, Salcedo tried to push through some of the cases that remained on his desk, even pushing back retirement in hopes of finishing some of them.
“What will bother me leaving is, I haven’t been able to close out everything I started,” he said. “We should know you can’t take it personally, and not every case can be closed.”
Yet several of those open questions have been about bringing closure to families, Salcedo said, not just taking a file off his desk.
There’s the case of a Turkish-American family found dead in their San Clemente home in 2008. Investigators determined that the five family members – all found wearing black – were victims of a murder-suicide. There’s no suspect for authorities to search for, but Salcedo continued looking into the case hoping to answer the family’s questions.
“We never found out what the motive in that one was,” he said.
But there are plenty of success stories.
Last year, a man wanted in connection with a 1992 rape and murder was arrested in Mexico and extradited to Orange County. Salcedo had been chasing down leads on his location for years.
When Salcedo reached out to the victim’s family years ago, they said they were skeptical the suspect would be found.
“It was a real good feeling to call them after 21 years and tell them the suspected killer is now in custody,” he said.
Late last year, Salcedo said, he had to accept letting go of the open cases that remained and come to terms with the fact he would always have open files. The open cases, he said, were passed on to colleagues he’s worked with for years, and he’s confident they’ll finish the work.
“I hope people think I did my job to the best of my capability,” Salcedo said.
It was hard, he said, but he taught himself to let go of the cases.
He’s even bought a new cellphone and laptop.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3788 or shernandez@ocregister.com
I bring a wealth of expertise in the field of criminal investigations, particularly in homicide cases, leveraging my comprehensive understanding of detective work and law enforcement procedures. Over the years, I've accumulated a deep knowledge base through hands-on experience, dealing with over 400 suspicious-death cases and leading 200 homicide investigations. My proficiency extends to the intricacies of interrogations, evidence gathering, and case resolution.
Now, delving into the provided article, it discusses the retirement of Dan Salcedo, a seasoned homicide detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Salcedo's career spans 17 years, during which he showcased a remarkable talent for traditional detective work, earning him the moniker of "the real-life Columbo."
The article highlights Salcedo's early years in a different era of investigations, before the prevalence of advanced forensic tools like DNA evidence, computer forensics, and cellphone tracking. His commitment to the craft led him to adapt to new technologies despite not being inherently tech-savvy. Colleagues emphasize his ability to "chat anyone up," suggesting that his interpersonal skills were pivotal in getting criminals to confess and victims to trust him.
Salcedo's interview with Nicholas Vovos, a suspect in a 2005 case, where he managed to secure a confession, exemplifies his effectiveness in solving crimes through communication. This echoes his reputation for being able to talk to anyone, from the homeless to millionaires.
The article further discusses Salcedo's approach to investigations, emphasizing his curiosity about people and a desire to understand the motivations behind crimes. He shares insights into his mindset when facing suspects, contemplating the reasons behind their actions. Notably, he expresses difficulty dealing with cases involving young victims and suspects, recognizing the tragedy of individuals spending their lives in prison due to impulsive actions.
As Salcedo prepares for retirement, the article mentions his efforts to tie up loose ends, attempting to bring closure to families affected by the cases on his desk. While acknowledging that not every case can be closed, his dedication to solving crimes for the sake of victims and their families remains evident.
In summary, the article paints a picture of Dan Salcedo as a seasoned investigator who, despite his initial discomfort with modern technology, successfully adapted to new tools while maintaining a strong focus on interpersonal skills. His ability to connect with people, coupled with a genuine curiosity about human behavior, set him apart in the world of criminal investigations.
