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Investigation Discovery's In Pursuit With John Walsh is set to premiere this week, and will shed light on two cases, with one of them seeking out Jesse Vega. Vega murdered a 19-year-old girl named Trisha Beristain over petty jealousy.
Jesse Vega has also allegedly forged identities like Jesus Alonzo and Arturo Munguia. Although there was a warrant out for his arrest when he was 23, he remains free to this day.
Authorities narrowed down on Jesse Vega almost immediately after some hunters allegedly found Trisha's dead body in Big Cottonwood Canyon. However, Vega has managed to evade the law, despite the police gathering enough evidence to charge him with murder.
He was last seen in Illinois, and no one has had any news of him for nearly 20 years now.
Who is Jesse Vega and what did he do?
Utah-based Jesse Vega was allegedly in a relationship with Trisha Beristain when he killed her. According to reports, he was jealous of Trisha's friendship with another male, which allegedly led to him killing her. Detectives say that he drove her up Big Cottonwood Canyon and shot her execution-style with a .9mm handgun.
Speaking about the murder, Trisha's sister Suzette Beristain said that she was killed on November 18, 1998. Suzette added that there was a guy who liked Trisha and even though she didn't like him, she hung out with him because she was "so kind with everybody." However, she added:
"He got jealous and he shot her and left here up here… Our biggest thing is catching him before someone else has to go through this."
Though the police were able to identify him as the person responsible, they never really found him. Vega escaped law enforcement, and despite many attempts, has managed to evade police all these years.
Trisha's family is still actively seeking justice for their murdered family member. They hold an annual vigil in memory of Trisha in a bid to keep the case alive and make people aware of Jesse Vega. Her father, Fred Beristain, said:
"Trisha's not here with us physically,...But, she shares our life every day, so it's a celebration and gathering of her friends and family to remember the life that Trish lived with us, even though it was cut short..."
He continued:
"That's why we do this every year is for the hope that just like the flame it will never go out, we will never forget her,...It is very had to know that she's gone and the person that killed her is possibly roaming the streets."
According to authorities, Jesse Vega may have connections with the Chicago mafia and perhaps used the links to stay out of the law's reach.
Diego Cruz Silva, a friend of Vega's, was allegedly charged with obstruction of justice for his involvement in the crime. However, reports confirmed that charges against Silva were dropped in exchange for him to testify against Vega.
The upcoming episode of Investigation Discovery's In Pursuit With John Walsh will cover the case in detail when it airs on October 12, 2022.
