Throughout the morning Fresno County Sheriff Deputies and federal agents used heavy equipment to destroy an illegal marijuana grow.
Capt. Steve Wilkins said, "Typically once these become public you will get people come to the marijuana grow attempting to take whatever plants they can get."
The plants grew behind a home near Daleville and Cherry, where Jose Mario Jimenez, 34, and his father Jose Alfredo Jimenez, 51, lived. Both are now suspects in connection with Monday's double homicide.
Chris Curtice with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office told Action News, "We don't know if the motive was in fact the marijuana grow, but it was there and hopefully as the investigation goes on we will find out if that was part of the motive for the shooting."
Detectives say a fight took place at about three o'clock on Monday afternoon before someone called 9-1-1 and reported gunshots. Deputies on the scene found two victims. One man died on scene and another died at a nearby hospital.
During the homicide investigation, detectives found more than 300 hundred marijuana plants. They estimate the marijuana's street value at more than $2.5 million.
"Grows like this attract the criminal element and things like what happened yesterday is what can happen here," Capt. Steve Wilkins said. "This grow is in proximity to other houses and it's right next door to the Orange Center Elementary School."
Detectives are now asking anyone with information to call the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.
