DA’s Part 8

David McGowan murdered his family before turning the gun on himself two years ago in his nearby mountain home.

To date there is no clear answer why McGowan shot five family members and himself.

When the District Attorney’s office said that he wasn’t having problems at work McGowan’s partner Luis Bolaños says he knew that wasn’t true.

“He confided in me,” Bolaños said. “That he was being pressured by Chief Clay Hodson of the DA’s and Assistant Chief Rick Nelson to change his findings in an investigation he was conducting involving numerous police officers from Desert Hot Springs.”

Since Bolaños brought this up his life was never the same.

He was arrested and fired for domestic violence and perjury charges months after the McGowan murder-suicide. He was later cleared of all charges but never got his job back.

The FBI is now investigating whether Bolaños was targeted by the DA’s for knowing too much about work stresses that may have played a key role in the McGowan deaths.

“I did have a chance to interview an individual who came to the FBI,” said former FBI agent Joe Stuart. “She had the feeling that her information she provided to the District Attorney’s office as well as the attorney general’s office was not heard or not given the full analysis that it should be.”

Bolaños’ friends, son, and daughter are backing him as he keeps fighting to get his job back.