Desert Hot Springs Police Investigate Late Night Murder

Desert Hot Springs police are investigating the apparent murder of a 19-year-old man at a local apartment complex.

The body of Johnathan Steven Madril was found in a pool of blood around 10:40 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Estancia Apartments on the 13300 block of Verbena, said Sgt. Dan Bressler.

Police are now looking for the gunman, and they’re also trying to find out where Madril lived.

Bressler said Madril had a history of street gang participation, but investigators don’t know whether this incident was gang-related.

Madril has a history of being involved in a gang, but Bressler said police had no evidence suggesting his killing was gang-related. It was unclear if police found anyone who saw what happened.

Madril was on probation on charges of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, selling an undetectable firearm and evading arrest, according to court records.

In June, a $25,000 warrant was issued for Madril’s arrest for allegedly violating his probation.

Anyone with more information about the killing was asked to call police at (760) 329-6411.