Fugitive wanted for murdering Indio man arrested in San Bernardino

The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force arrested a man in San Bernardino on Thursday in connection to a homicide that occurred in the Coachella Valley in April.

Officers said James “Chip” Nathaniel is accused of murdering 35-year-old Apolonio Carranza in Indio on Sunday, April 19. Officers found Carranza inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound on the 43-000 block of Kenya Street in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19.

Nathaniel was arrested on Thursday, May 21 at 3:30 p.m.

State and federal agencies worked together to track down the suspect. He was taken into custody without incident and officers said he was in possession of an unrelated handgun.

Police asked for the public’s help in locating Nathaniel a couple of days after the homicide. Detectives obtained a search warrant but were unable to locate the suspect until a month later. He had contacts in Indio and Beaumont, officers said in the release.

The task force was able to find Nathaniel at a previously unknown and unrelated location in San Bernardino, according to the release.

Nathaniel was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio for murder, spousal abuse, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, for making criminal threats and for violating a parole hold.

He’s being held on $2 million bail.