Crime

A felon accused of bludgeoning his cellmate to death at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio pleaded not guilty today to a murder charge. Luke Hanchette, 42, of Hemet is charged with killing 48-year-old John Leo Hemmer of South Dakota, who was found dead Wednesday in a cell the two shared, according to the

A Hemet man has been identified as the suspect in the murder of his cellmate at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio. John Hemmer, 48, of South Dakota was found with significant traumatic injuries during a routine safety check of inmates at the jail on Wednesday morning, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

UPDATE 07/22/21 The Indio Police Department announced that the suspect, Julio Infante, 47, of Indio, was taken into custody. County jail records show that Infante was arrested on Tuesday. He was let on $75,000 bail on Wednesday and is due back in court on November 17. There was no update on the condition of the

A bench warrant was in effect today for a 32-year-old woman facing criminal charges for allegedly running over and fatally injuring a bicyclist before speeding away last year in Desert Hot Springs. Yesenia Bibriesca was allegedly behind the wheel of a Lexus sedan that struck 43-year-old Christopher Jones of Palm Springs last July. She was

A 21-year-old convicted felon accused of shooting at three people in Thermal must stand trial on attempted murder and other felony charges, a judge ruled today. Juan Pablo Linares of Thermal was arrested in October 2019, a week after the shooting in the 88000 block of Airport Boulevard. Following a preliminary hearing at the Larson

Two North Shore men who stole a vehicle at gunpoint before leading authorities on a high-speed chase pleaded guilty to several felony charges today and were immediately sentenced to more than eight years in state prison. Victor Olivas, 27, and Francisco Razo, 25, were arrested last August following the carjacking reported in the area of

A man who fatally shot another man “for no reason” in Desert Hot Springs more than four years ago was sentenced today to 40 years to life in state prison. An Indio jury convicted Anthony Garza, 31, of murder in June for shooting Dominick Mesta, 21, four times in the face on Dec. 18, 2016.

An Indio man suspected of attempting to beckon the services of a prostitute while employed as the security director of the Coachella Valley Unified School District pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge and is due back in court next month. Adam Sambrano Jr., 40, was arrested on Jan. 27 during a sting operation and

A trial date was tentatively set today for mid-September for a Cathedral City man facing a possible death sentence for allegedly fatally shooting four people in Palm Springs more than two years ago. Jose Larin-Garcia, 21, is charged with four counts of murder stemming from the February 2019 shootings in which the victims, ages 17

Two people were arrested last week for allegedly stealing the vehicle of a woman who was reported missing last year in Twentynine Palms. Authorities said the theft caused issues in the search. Erika Lloyd, 38, was reported missing on June 14, 2020. The Walnut Creek native took a road trip from the Bay Area to

Palm Springs police released photos of two men wanted for their role in an altercation outside a bar that left a person in critical condition The incident happened along the 400 block of E. Arenas Rd. on Friday, July 9 at approximately 1:42 a.m. Police said they were told the victim and a friend were

A former Department of Defense project services manager from Palm Desert admitted taking money from contractors in connection with federal work overseas and is now facing up to 10 years in prison, authorities said today. Nizar Farhat, 63, pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of receiving an illegal gratuity and being a public official

A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted agents to a suspicious vehicle on Interstate 10 near Coachella over the weekend. The vehicle ended up having $440,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden inside several duffle bags. The incident began when Border patrol agents encountered a vehicle at the Dillion Road exit near Interstate 10 and Highway 86

Indio police today asked for the public’s help identifying the person who fatally struck a 57-year-old man as he was crossing a street last month. Investigators do not know who ran over Domingo Cordova of Indio on June 28, but have since ascertained the type of vehicle involved. According to Indio police spokesman Ben Guitron,

Police are investigating a battery incident that left a man in critical condition outside a Palm Springs bar early Friday morning. The incident happened outside a bar on the 400 block of E. Arenas Road at around 1:30 p.m. Police said the victim and a friend were walking from a bar when they became engaged