Man Who Left Skin Like Teddy Bear at Victorville Gas Station Arrested

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — Authorities have arrested a Victorville man accused of deliberately placing a flesh-like teddy bear outside a local gas station, sparking an emergency response to what initially appeared to be a disturbing and suspicious item.

According to a written statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the incident began at about 12:07 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, 2025, when deputies from the Victorville Police Department responded to the AMPM gas station at 13660 Bear Valley Road.

Concerned callers had reported a teddy bear that appeared to be constructed of human skin.

After arriving on scene, deputies located the bear and initiated an investigation. The San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office collected the item, and it was later confirmed to be made of man made materials, with “no human tissue” involved, authorities said.

On Monday, deputies identified the suspect as 23-year-old Hector Corona Villanueva, a resident of Victorville.

Corona Villanueva was arrested and will be booked on charges of PC 148.3(a) — causing the report of an emergency while knowing it to be false — and PC 141 — intentionally and wrongfully planting evidence to falsely present as real.

“Incidents such as this take up valuable emergency resources and put the public at risk, possibly delaying response time to legitimate calls for service,” the sheriff’s department stated in its update. “We would like to thank those that reported information that was helpful during the investigation of this case.”

The teddy bear, which featured a skin-like appearance, was later traced to South Carolina-based horror FX business Darkseed Creations. Owner Robert Kelly confirmed in an email to VVNG that the bear was one of his creations, shipped to a customer in Victorville on July 12 as part of an Etsy order.

“While I have been a horror fx artist for almost 20 years I have never had any of my creations involved in a situation like this,” Kelly said, noting he was not involved in the prank and had no knowledge of the buyer’s intent.

On Facebook, Darkseed Creations added: “Yes I made the bear in the news video… No I did not have any knowledge of the buyer’s intentions nor was I involved in a prank on the other side of the nation from me.”

Darkseed Creations operates online at darkseedcreations.com and darkseedcreations.etsy.com, with its physical storefront located at 619 Old Trolley Rd in Summerville, South Carolina. The business can be reached at (843) 819-7175 or by email at darkseedcreations@yahoo.com.

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