Man selling dirt bike to person he met on Facebook is found dead, Louisiana cops say
.jpg "Police say a Louisiana man was shot and killed while going to sell a dirt bike through social media.")
Joseph Vindel, 29, never returned home after going to sell his dirt bike through social media.
He left his home in New Orleans on Sunday morning and drove about 30 miles to Jefferson Parish to sell the bike to a person he met through Facebook Marketplace, local media outlets report.
But, after he didn’t come home, his family began “backtracking” to any place he might have gone, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said during a news conference Monday.
When they weren’t able to find or get up with Vindel, his family reported him missing.
Deputies found social media messages between Vindel and another man that led them to an apartment complex in the area, where they found the dirt bike Vindel had been trying to sell on a patio, the sheriff’s office says.
They questioned the resident of the apartment, 20-year-old Jalen Harvey, who the sheriff’s office says told deputies he shot Vindel then drove Vindel’s car to New Orleans, where he abandoned it with Vindel’s body inside.
He told deputies he then drove the dirt bike back to his apartment, the sheriff’s office says.
Deputies believe Vindel was shot outside the apartment complex while still in his car, the sheriff’s office said.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto said during the news conference that Harvey’s motivation for allegedly shooting Vindel is unclear.
“I don’t care what it is. I mean look it’s a $2,800 dirt bike, it’s not anything that anyone should be shot over,” he said.
Vindel, who friends say was known for his “outgoing personality” and sense of humor, was about to start a new career in real estate and had just earned his license, his family and friends told WWL.
His father, Lindsey Vindel, told the TV station that his son was “loved by everyone and didn’t deserve this.”
“Hug your children and call them as much as you can,” he told the outlet.
Lopinto said Harvey is in custody and that the sheriff’s office is seeking a warrant for first-degree murder.
He told reporters that, since last year, the area has seen six thefts or robberies stemming from marketplace apps and recommended people be safe when using them to sell things. He said it’s best to meet a buyer in a busy area, such as a parking lot, during the day.
“If it doesn’t feel right, get out,” he said.
