THREE RIVERS, Calif. (AP) - Authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after the body of a prominent member of the South Bay’s Chinese community was found in a shallow grave in Tulare County.
KNTV reports (https://bit.ly/2jKqMxG ) 38-year-old Christopher Ellebracht was arrested following the discovery of the body of Gin Lu “Tommy” Shwe’s body about 230 miles away from Cupertino, where he went missing earlier this month.
The 70-year-old Shwe was a local Realtor and former school board member.
Authorities say he was reported missing on Jan. 18, when he left a local health club.
Police say he was strangled.
Police say Ellebracht was arrested after detectives learned he tried to cash a $10,000 check from Shwe’s account.
They also saw video of him buying a shovel at Home Depot the morning of Shwe’s disappearance.
Efforts to reach him or his attorney were not immediately successful.
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Information from: KNTV-TV.
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