La Quinta man pleads not guilty to murdering stepfather

A 21-year-old La Quinta man who allegedly strangled his mother’s boyfriend in February pleaded not guilty to a murder charge on Monday.

Robert Ryan Lugo, who is accused of killing 47-year-old Byron Crews during a fight at Crews’ La Quinta home, was arrested Thursday in Desert Hot Springs, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Lugo was charged with murder in October and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

According to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant, on Feb. 21, Lugo intervened in a heated argument between Crews and Lugo’s mother. The two men argued, and the altercation turned physical after Crews struck Lugo, according to the document.

Court documents show Lugo told sheriff’s deputies earlier this year that the fight took both men to the ground, where Lugo placed Crews in a chokehold until he was pulled off by family members.

Sheriff’s deputies found Crews unresponsive at the home. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Lugo was also taken to a hospital that day. He was treated for minor injuries and then released, but was not arrested. Lugo was being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside in lieu of $1 million bail.

He is due in court Dec. 14 for a felony settlement conference.

12/2/16 – La Quinta man arrested on charges of murdering stepfather

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a man accused of murdering his stepfather by choking him during a fight in the La Quinta Cove back in February. Deputies said they were searching for 21-year-old Robert Ryan Lugo for a little over a week in connection to the death of 47-year-old Byron Crews.

Lugo was arrested Thursday night in Desert Hot Springs on Hacienda Heights Drive. He was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on $1M bail, according to jail records. He’s facing felony charges of murder with malice and receiving stolen property.

He’s due for court at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Monday.

The investigation began nine months ago after 47-year-old Byron Crews was found dead at his home in the 52700 block of Avenida Navarro. KESQ and CBS Local 2 spoke to neighbors at that time and they said a fight occurred between Crews and his stepson, whom police later identified as Robert Ryan Lugo, now 21-years-old.

Crews died at the scene and Lugo was taken to the hospital where he was treated for injuries and released.

Authorities never released Lugo’s name at the time of Crews’ death and no arrests were made. It wasn’t until late November that we learned the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was searching for Lugo in connection to the death.

According to an arrest warrant filed in the case, the investigating officer stated that Lugo and his stepfather got into a fight after Lugo became involved in a heated argument between Crews and his girlfriend (Lugo’s mother). During the argument, Lugo lunged at Crews and all three of them fell to the ground. While on the ground, Lugo put Crews into a choke hold and family members had to pull him off as Crews continued to lie motionless, face down on the ground.

Investigators said an autopsy was performed and it was found that Crews had bruising on his neck muscle and a broken hyoid bone.

The coroner’s office determined the death was caused by lateral vascular neck restraint.

The investigation took months to complete but began moving forward again in October when the sheriff’s department filed a warrant for Lugo’s arrest. Murder charges have also been filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

February 23:

Police investigate La Quinta Cove death, neighbors speak out

Authorities are investigating a confrontation that left one man dead on the 52700 block of Avenida Navarro Sunday morning. Neighbors said it was a fight between a 20-year-old man and his 47-year-old stepfather.

Officers said the 47-year-old man was inside the home and wasn’t responsive.

The coroner’s office identified him as Byron Crews.

“It’s kind of weird, that house has had a bunch of problems before,” said one neighbor.

The victim and the 20-year-old man were both transported to a local hospital where Crews died. The younger man was treated and released from the hospital.

Family members we met at the home told us they’re mourning their loss and they want answers. Investigators from the La Quinta Police Department and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the location and assumed the investigation.

There was no word on any arrests and authorities haven’t released the stepson’s name at this time. The investigation continues.