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Investigation Discovery's In Pursuit With John Walsh will dive into another case this week, chronicling the brutal murder of Trisha Beristain, who was shot to death by her then-boyfriend Jesse Vega. What is even more heartbreaking about this case is that the culprit, against whom the police have gathered enough evidence, has always managed to stay ahead of the law and still remains free.
According to sources, Vega was jealous of Trisha Beristain's friendship with another male and plotted to kill her over this. For years now, Trisha's friends and family have been gathering in Big Cottonwood Canyon on her death anniversary to hold a vigil for her. They continue to seek justice for the young girl's brutal murder.
The official synopsis for the episode of In Pursuit With John Walsh reads:
"John joins the hunt for Arturo Munguia, aka Jesse Vega, accused of murdering his girlfriend in an act of petty jealousy. Later, Cal helps track down Rex Byrnes, an unemployed metalhead whose own daughter accuses him of years of s*xual abuse."
Trisha Beristain was shot to death in execution-style
19-year-old Trisha from Utah was in a relationship with Jesse Vega, who was allegedly jealous of her relationship with a male friend.
On November 18, 1998, Vega allegedly drove the teenage woman to Big Cottonwood Canyon and shot her to death in execution-style. The weapon used was a 0.9 mm handgun. Beristain's body was later discovered by some hunters, according to reports.
Her sister Suzette Beristain said:
"On November 18, 1998, she was murdered. It was a guy that really liked her, and she being so kind with everybody still hung out with him even though she didn’t like him. 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."
Jesse Vega, who often goes by other names like Jesus Alonzo and Arturo Munguia has successfully evaded the law for years. He was allegedly seen in Illinois once, but authorities failed to capture him. According to reports, the police found enough evidence to determine that Vega was behind the murder.
Another man, Diego Cruz Silva, was charged with helping Vega commit the crime. He was reportedly given immunity in exchange for testifying against Vega. Vega allegedly has ties to Chicago gangs and has used his connections to stay out of the law's reach.
Trisha Beristain's family is still hoping for justice for the young girl. Trisha's sister, Laura Torres, said:
"We’re just hoping if we keep doing this, somebody, someday will see him, report him and he’ll be arrested."
Trisha Beristain's murder remains an open case to date, with Vega still managing to evade the law. In Pursuit With John Walsh will tell this story in detail when it airs on October 12, 2022.
