Man snatched from California Sikh temple in fatal case of mistaken identity, officials say

A man was found dead near Lake Berryessa in Napa County on Friday, three days after he was kidnapped from a Sikh temple about 100 miles away in the Central Valley, investigators said.

Avtar Singh, 57, was reported missing from the Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash in Tracy on Feb. 17, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Surveillance footage showed three people dressed in dark clothing forcing him into a white SUV and speeding off, investigators said.

A fisherman found Singh’s body Friday afternoon near the lake and called police, authorities said. Sheriff’s officials declined to disclose the cause of his death but said they were investigating it as a homicide. The white SUV was found nearby, officials said.

Read more: Los Angeles Times