A man accused of murdering a British millionaire’s US Army veteran son in California has been arrested in a dramatic raid in which a kidnapping victim was also freed from his home.
Antonio Silva was seized by a SWAT team in Santa Ana where cops found rifles, handguns and more than four pounds of fentanyl at his home.
Cops also encountered another man who was ‘being held against his will’ at Silva’s home, saying they had ‘likely prevented another murder’.
Silva, 27, is accused of murdering Iraq veteran Adrian Bonar – whose body was found in an abandoned Lexus last month – in a suspected gangland killing.
Suspect: Antonio Silva (pictured), who is accused of murdering a British millionaire’s son in California, has been arrested in a dramatic raid at his home
The raid cornered Silva at his home in Bristol Street, Santa Ana where SWAT teams from three police departments descended on Monday night.
The suspect has been booked for murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment as well as drug and weapons charges.
‘Silva was taken into custody during the service of a search warrant at his residence,’ Anaheim police announced last night.
‘Amazingly, we encountered an adult male who had been kidnapped and was being held against his will at Silva’s home.
‘We were able to rescue that victim and likely prevented another murder.
‘During the service of the search warrant 2 rifles, 2 handguns & over 4 pounds of fentanyl were also found.’
Mystery had surrounded Bonar’s death after the 34-year-old’s body was found wrapped in tarpaulin 75 miles from the city of Escondido where he lived.
The body was found on October 17 in the trunk of an abandoned Lexus which Anaheim police officers were about to tow away.
Victim: US Army veteran Adrian Bonar, whose body was found in an abandoned Lexus last month
Evidence: The suspect was seized by a SWAT team in Santa Ana where cops found rifles, handguns and more than four pounds of fentanyl at his home
Discovery: Anaheim police officers found the body wrapped in tarpaulin as they were preparing to tow the car away
Sources claimed last month that Bonar had been killed by ‘heavy-duty criminals’ in a suspected gangland shooting.
Bonar, the son of Scottish restaurant millionaire Brian Bonar, had served in the US Army during the Iraq War.
The elder Mr Bonar told the Scottish Daily Mail earlier this month how his son had become involved in crime after returning from Iraq.
Victim: Mystery had surrounded Bonar’s death after the 34-year-old (pictured) was found wrapped in tarpaulin 75 miles from the city of Escondido where he lived
The trauma of the war had left Adrian with nightmares and ‘deep mood swings’, he explained.
Adrian had served prison time on drugs and weapons charges, including a year’s sentence for carrying methamphetamine while armed.
In 2016 he admitted a grand theft misdemeanor charge of robbery and on another occasion he was found guilty of carrying a loaded firearm in public in San Diego.
He had promised his father he was returning to rehab when they last met six weeks before his death, Brian Bonar said.
‘Son, you’ve got to go in and try and beat this demon,’ he told his son.
The victim’s brother Cannon Bonar said Adrian had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
‘I don’t think he wanted to leave the Army. When he got out he really struggled, not just with the PTSD but no longer being in such a structured environment. And then he struggled with the PTSD too,’ he said.
The Stars and Stripes were draped over Adrian’s coffin at a celebration of his life last month with a murder probe hanging over the ceremony.
The victim’s sister, Pauline Gourdie, wrote in a tribute online that Adrian’s life had been cut short by ‘evil scum’.
‘My heart is breaking, yet bursting with pride that you were my brother. It’s clear you were not only loved by your family but by so many whose life you touched,’ she said.
‘You were taken too soon but did you live it. So proud of all that you achieved in your life, cut short by evil scum.
‘May you soar with the eagles in heaven while they squawk in the sewers of hell! Until we meet again. Sleep tight lil bro. Your heartbroken sis, P.’
Tribute: Pauline Gourdie praised her brother Adrian Bonar (pictured together) and said his killers deserved to rot in the ‘sewers of hell’ after his body was found in the back of a car
Mourning: The Stars and Stripes are draped over the coffin at a memorial ceremony for Adrian Bonar which was held last month after he was found dead
According to reports in Scotland, Bonar’s mother Linda Green travelled to the U.S. for a celebration of her son’s life.
A friend reached by DailyMail.com at the time of Bonar’s death said he had ‘no clue’ who would want to harm him.
‘He was just an awesome guy. Someone who you wanted to be around with,’ Gustavo Dias, told DailyMail.com.
Dias, 32, who lives in Florida, said Bonar was married with children and said he had served in Iraq with him in 2007 and 2008. Both were honorably discharged.
‘He was an outstanding soldier,’ said Dias of Bonar. ‘I got so many , of him being silly in Iraq trying to make everyone laugh.’
Anaheim police said Bonar was ‘known to frequent motels in North San Diego County and Los Angeles County’ as they appealed for information.
Anaheim police say the case remains an open investigation and detectives urge anyone with information to call (+1) 714-321-3669.
Adrian Bonar (right), the son of Scottish restaurant millionaire Brian Bonar (left), had served in Iraq and mystery surrounds his death some 75 miles away from where he lived
Bonar (right) is pictured with his fellow soldier Gustavo Dias during a field training in Fort Steward, Georgia. They served together in Iraq
A map showing where Bonar’s body was found, around 75 miles from the city of Escondido where he lived in California