Location: 10800 Block of Ave. 328, Visalia

Incident Date: 4/6/19, 4/9/19

Case Number: 19-03436

City: Visalia

Posted by: Media Relations

On 3/21/19 around 7:40 a.m., a TCSO Deputy was at a homeless encampment at the St. John’s River looking for a suspect wanted for a felony narcotics warrant. During that time, the deputy made contact with another man who dropped a meth pipe in front of him and gave the deputy a fake name. The deputy tried to arrest the man, but he jumped into the St. John’s River. He was seen treading water for about 100 yards. Deputies lost sight of him and never saw him resurface. 

The man was identified as 47-year-old Andrew Joseph Sedillo. He was on probation for assault with a deadly weapon and had three active arrest warrants. Deputies searched the St. John’s River, but could not find Sedillo.  

On 4/6/19 around 8 p.m., Deputies were called to the 10800 block of Ave 328 near the St. John’s River for a report of a man’s body found near a dam. Dive operations were conducted and the body was recovered and taken to the Tulare County Coroner’s office.

On Tuesday April 9th, 2019, an autopsy was completed and the man was identified as Andrew Sedillo. The cause of death was determined to be fresh water drowning. 

This case is still under investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Investigations Unit.  Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Miguel Franco or Sergeant Gary Marks at (559) 802-9563 or (800) 808-0488. Anonymous information can be reported via Tipnow email tcso@tipnow.net, text or voicemail at 559-725-4194, or download the Tipnow app for Android or Apple phones.