A Louisa County man is facing a felony charge after police say he dragged a body behind a van down a gravel road.
According to court records, 58-year-old Salvador Castaneda has been charged with abuse of a corpse following a disturbing discovery Wednesday afternoon near the 300 block of Collins Road.
Authorities say a woman called 911 around 4:30 p.m. after witnessing a van speeding past her home, appearing to strike something in a ditch. When deputies arrived, they found the van abandoned and crashed, with a cell phone and handgun inside.
Across the road, officers found the body of Noe Ibarra-Tijerina with a black cord wrapped around his torso. A matching cord was hanging from the underside of the van, leading investigators to believe Ibarra-Tijerina had been dragged behind the vehicle.
While it’s still unclear exactly how Ibarra-Tijerina died, police found a blood trail, a shell casing, and drag marks beginning at a nearby building on Collins Road and ending where the van was found.
Witnesses said they saw the van dragging a body, and one witness later identified Castaneda by his clothing and a skin condition called vitiligo. Officers said Castaneda was found near the scene wearing blood-stained clothing, and the van’s keys were in his pocket. The van is registered to a woman who shares his last name.
Inside a nearby shop, police found Castaneda’s t-shirt and a torn cord that appeared to match the one used to drag the victim.
Castaneda remains in custody as the investigation continues.
