Crime

ANZA, Calif. (KESQ) – A suspicious death investigation is underway after the remains of a missing woman were found in the unincorporated area of Riverside County known as Anza last week, authorities said. The remains were located on Friday, just before 3:00 p.m., in the area of Bautista Canyon Road and Willis Road. “Upon arrival,

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An ex-cop who roughed up two boys while arresting them after they fled an alleged burglary at the campus of Desert Hot Springs High School pleaded guilty today to misdemeanor charges and was immediately sentenced to 12 months’ probation and community service. Johnny Acosta, 31, on Tuesday admitted charges of gun

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A man who shot a motorist as the victim got into his vehicle in a Coachella parking lot pleaded guilty today to attempted murder and other charges and was immediately sentenced to 24 years in state prison.    Issac Marquez Vargas, 26, of Thermal admitted the attempted murder count, along with

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Coachella woman who engaged in the ongoing abuse of her 5-year-old son, ultimately killing the boy, pleaded guilty today to first-degree murder and other charges.   Vanessa Cervantes Rangel, 41, admitted the murder count, as well as assault on a child resulting in death, torture and four misdemeanor counts of child

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Pretrial motions got underway today ahead of jury selection for the trial of a felon accused in a fatal knife assault on a 24-year-old Cathedral City man. Johnny Ramirez, 34, of Escondido, allegedly joined 33-year-old Edgar Navez of Desert Hot Springs in the deadly attack on Ricardo Gallardo in 2020.   

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old man who fatally shot his lifelong friend during an act of gunplay in Sky Valley was convicted today of second-degree murder.   A Riverside jury deliberated about four days before finding Alexis Yahir Duran of Cathedral City guilty of second-degree murder for the 2023 death of 17-year-old Adam Pineda of

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A parolee who gunned down a man more than a decade ago for crashing into his SUV on an Indio street was convicted today of first-degree murder and other offenses. An Indio jury deliberated less than a day before finding James “Chip” Milton Nathaniel, 39, of Beaumont, guilty of the 2015

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Charges were dismissed today against a 56-year-old man previously accused of providing a fatal dose of methamphetamine to an acquaintance, following a judge’s ruling there was insufficient evidence to bound the defendant over for trial. William Joseph Leonard of Palm Desert was charged last year with involuntary manslaughter and possession of

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Trial proceedings may start before the end of the week for a convicted felon accused of killing a 30-year-old Cabazon man, whose disappearance remained a mystery until his body was located more than two years later. Shannon McCloud Collins, 49, of Cabazon was arrested in 2024 following a Riverside County Sheriff’s