By GLEN FAISON, THE PORTERVILLE RECORDER
A Lindsay man was arrested today for the 2002 killing of an elderly man.

Luis Rocha, 22, was formally charged and arraigned in connection with the death of Grego Fores Sr., 82. Rocha was booked into the Tulare County Main Jail on suspicion of killing Fores. He is being held without bail. Rocha is the second suspect jailed in connection with Fores' death.

Sheriff's Department Sgt. Chris Douglass outlined the case in a prepared release: Family members arrived at the Lindsay home of Fores Sr. about 9 a.m. on June 23, 2002 to check on him because no one had heard from him. Fores was found dead in the bedroom of his home on the 1100 block of Fresno Street.

Lindsay police were called and the case was investigated as a homicide. Police asked the Sheriff's Department to help with the investigation. An autopsy found Fores died from blunt force trauma to the head. The case remained active and in July 2006 was handed over to cold case detectives. New information was developed and a suspect, Rudy Tellez, 21, or Porterville, was contacted. Tellez was arrested in September 2006 in connection with Fores' death.

Additional information pointed to Rocha as a possible second suspect, prompting today's arrest. Both Tellez and Rocha were already in custody on unrelated charges when they were contacted by investigators.

Contact Glen Faison at 784-5000, Ext. 1044, or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.