10 hours ago
Arrest made in slaying of 78-year-old Vietnam veteran
FORT PIERCE – Fort Pierce Police on June 18 reported the arrest of a son in connection with the 2022 homicide of his father, 78-year-old Jorge Fuentes Sr., the agency stated.
Jorge Alberto Fuentes, Jr., 31, was arrested by police and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force in Palm Beach County on a first degree murder charge following the death of his father, a Vietnam veteran.
The elder Fuentes was found May 6, 2022, in his home in the 1200 block of Wyoming Avenue with several gunshot wounds.
Juliana Walker, police spokesperson, said no one from the police department was available to speak about the case June 18. Police did not provide information about why they believe Fuentes Jr. is responsible for his father's death.
Jorge Fuentes Sr. lived in the Wyoming Avenue house south of Virginia Avenue for about 30 years.
He was born in El Salvador and came to the United States in the mid 1960s, and was drafted into the U.S. Army, one of his sons, James Fuentes, has said.
James Fuentes and his brother, John Fuentes, have said their father had a second wife and additional children. James Fuentes has said his father and the second wife were estranged and in the process of divorcing.
John Fuentes, 53, on June 18 said the son arrested in the incident is the first born from his father's second marriage.
John Fuentes said he feels "great" about the arrest.
"I'm just hoping that everyone else that was involved gets caught as well and is brought to justice," John Fuentes said. "This is definitely some closure, not fully, but definitely the beginning of some closure."
The elder Fuentes served in Vietnam, receiving a Purple Heart, James Fuentes has said.
Vehicle 'cloning' investigation: Vehicle 'cloning' case; 3 arrests in Indian River, St. Lucie counties
'Extremely hardworking': Man dead after motorcycle crash in PSL remembered
'He was involved in the Tet Offensive,' James Fuentes said. 'I remember him telling me that, and he got discharged in '68.'
The Tet Offensive, which began in early 1968, involved a massive series of coordinated attacks by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces against many areas throughout South Vietnam.
On April 5, 2023, a memorial service for Jorge Fuentes Sr. was held at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Man jailed after police accused him of killing his 78-year-old father
