INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A pool serviceman who fatally beat a 93-year-old Palm Desert woman while trying to steal from her was convicted today of second-degree murder and other charges. An Indio jury deliberated about two days before finding Benjamin Cabrera Briones, 62, of Thousand Palms, guilty of the murder count, as well as burglary
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LANCASTER, Calif. (KESQ) – A man convicted of a murder in the Coachella Valley was accused of killing a convicted rapist Sunday night at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, in Lancaster. The incident happened Sunday at approximately 7:15 p.m., according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. CDCR officials said staff reported seeing
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 27 year old Coachella man Thursday after an investigation into how local students were getting ahold of marijuana vape pens. Sheriff’s officials say they had seen a rise in the possession of marijuana vape pens by kids in the Palm Desert area for the
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After years of delays, a judge finally sentenced Daniel Garcia for his connection to a financially motivated killing of a Palm Springs retiree in 2008. In 2023, Daniel Garcia was convicted of one felony count each of murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, using the personal identity information of another to obtain credit, and using a forged
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WESTMORELAND, Calif. (KESQ) – Authorities say a 42-year-old Mexican citizen is in custody after being arrested by El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents for allegedly smuggling nearly 120 pounds of methamphetamine into the United States. The woman was stopped shortly after noon Tuesday at an immigration checkpoint on Highway 86, according to U.S. Customs and
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BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – The Banning Police Department Detective Bureau is investigating several recent shootings, including a shooting that killed one man and injured another in the 100 block of North 8th Street near West Ramsey Street. News Channel 3 had coverage of that shooting outside of a liquor store on April 14, now being
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The prosecution is expected to rest next week in the trial of two men accused in the murder of a Cathedral City convenience store owner who was gunned down during an attempted robbery in which the shooter fled without taking a dime. Charles Lamar Campbell of Beaumont and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A pool serviceman who fatally beat a 93-year-old Palm Desert woman during a robbery at her home applied “all of his” force to snuff out her life with the motivation of taking her money, making him guilty of first-degree murder, a prosecutor alleged today, while the man’s attorney argued his client
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 41-year-old man accused of stabbing a Palm Springs police officer during a disturbance call pleaded not guilty to charges. Phillip Roger Lester Smith was charged with assault on a peace officer and trespassing, as well as an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury. He remains in custody on $350,000 bail,
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YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – The Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station released surveillance photos of a person caught on camera stealing packages from a home in Yucca Valley. The theft happened after an Amazon package Wednesday at around 2:00 p.m. at a home on the 58000 block of San Andreas Road. “An unknown suspect was captured
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Five people were arrested on suspicion of vandalism, conspiracy and weapons charges after a yearlong investigation into a tagging crew believed responsible for over $10,000 in property damage in the Coachella Valley, authorities said today. Palm Springs police detectives in coordination with the city’s patrol officers, drone operators and regional
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DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Desert Hot Springs Police made good use of their drone to follow and catch a suspect trying to get away from a traffic stop on Tuesday. Desert Hot Springs Police officers report in a Facebook post they attempted to stop a male suspect who was illegally riding a mini
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INDIO (CNS) – A 32-year-old man accused of gunning down his one-time girlfriend’s lover as he left her Coachella Valley home was inflamed with rage and intended to shoot to kill, prosecutors said today, while the defense argued that the defendant was blinded by passion and also believed the victim was going to pull a
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MURRIETA, Calif. (KESQ) – Jurors convicted a 21-year-old man of false imprisonment for attacking a Thermal girl on her way home from school, but were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a sexual assault charge and another count, resulting in a mistrial for those felonies. The Murrieta jury weighing the fate of Christian Daniel
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LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Over $100,000 worth of personal belongings, gone. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said it’s investigating multiple thefts reported at La Quinta Resort & Club during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. One victim said at least 9 people were hit, and together they lost over
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Springs police officer is recovering in the hospital after being stabbed during an altercation with a suspect Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened at around 2:40 p.m. on the 1500 block of N. Sunrise Way. Officers initially responded to a disturbance call in the area, according to the Palm
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Prosecution testimony got underway Tuesday in the trial of two men accused of gunning down the owner of a Cathedral City convenience store during a robbery. Charles Lamar Campbell of Beaumont and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo of Desert Hot Springs, both 23, allegedly killed 61-year-old Chris Sgouromitis of Cathedral City in 2021.
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Arrests were up again for Coachella Weekend 2 compared to last year, according to data released by the Indio Police Department on Tuesday. There were 128 total arrests during Weekend 2 this year. It’s an increase from 112 arrests in 2024 and an even bigger jump from 80 arrests in 2023.
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Authorities discovered several televisions and DJ equipment left behind after a train burglary Sunday night in Palm Desert. The incident was first reported just before 10:20 a.m. on the 75000 block of Gerald Ford Drive. A caller reported subjects possibly stealing items from a train, according to the Riverside County
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The former drummer of the indie power-pop group the New Pornographers is scheduled to appear in court this week for allegedly possessing child pornography and recording a minor in a public restroom. Joseph Seiders, 44, of Palm Desert, was arrested April 9 following an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s
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