Del Mar
A 25-year-old man wanted by police in the slaying of his brother at a Del Mar construction site turned himself in to authorities Saturday morning at the international border after relatives went to Mexico and persuaded him to surrender.
Police said Joel Ayala surrendered to the U.S. Customs Service after he re-entered this country at about 4 a.m. at the San Ysidro border crossing. He was being held in County Jail on suspicion of murder, officials said.
His brother, 27-year-old Rene Ayala, was shot several times in the back at about 9:40 a.m. Friday. Witnesses said the shooting occurred while the brothers were working as roofers at a North City West construction site near Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real.
Police said Joel Ayala had argued in the past with members of his Vista family and had threatened to shoot some of his relatives.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
