Four arrested in connection with the 2017 murder of a 25-year-old Indio woman

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department have arrested four people believed to have been involved in the shooting death of a 25-year-old woman back in 2017.

Alycia Alexander, 25, of Indio was pronounced dead after being shot during a botched drug transaction at a public park in Desert Hot Springs on the night of Oct. 19, 2017.

Detectives were able to identify four suspects in the murder.

Dimetrius Lugo, 21, was arrested by the Riverside County District Attorney's Gang Impact Team in Phoenix, Arizona on March 8, 2021. Lugo pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted robbery charges on May 5, 2021.

A 17-year-old male was also arrested in Arizona in April 2021.

A third suspect, identified as Shyrum Taylor, 24, was arrested on May 13, 2021 in Beaumont, California. Police were able to locate and apprehend a fourth suspect, Barry Williams, 32,, in Thermal on May 14, 2021.

Lugo, Taylor, and Williams face gang-related sentence enhancing allegations, along with a special circumstance allegation each of committing a murder during the commission of a robbery, which opens them up to possible death sentences if prosecutors pursue them.

Current Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Jim Henson said Alexander was shot in the head at Wardman Park near the area of 8th Street and Cactus Avenue.

According to an arrest declaration prepared by Detective Christopher Tooth, Alexander drove two others to the park to meet Lugo and Taylor for a planned drug transaction. The defendants had planned to conduct a robbery rather than successfully complete the transaction, Tooth alleged.

While the group was speaking at the park, two other men allegedly approached Alexander's vehicle, and Alexander sped off. One of the suspects fired an unspecified quantity of gunshots at the fleeing vehicle, which struck Alexander, killing her instantly, the declaration said.

Police did not specify who opened fire.

A person tried rushing Alexander to the hospital but they later stopped in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo on the 5200 block of Ramon Rd in Palm Springs and called police.

First responders attempted life-saving measures but Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene.

All three adult male suspects remain in custody on $1 million bail.

Stay with News Channel 3 with continuing updates.