Crime

Murder and other felony charges were filed today against a 52-year-old man accused of killing a Coachella resident. Gabriel Castro Ramirez of Coachella was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing 46-year-old Jimmy Meza the day before. Along with the murder count, Ramirez is charged with one count each of attempted murder and assault with a

A 26-year-old man who joined a friend in shooting a 70-year-old with a BB gun at a Palm Springs bus stop pleaded guilty today to assault resulting in great bodily injury and was immediately sentenced to two years probation. Larry Bradford Williams of Stockton admitted the felony charge under a plea agreement with the Riverside

Two fires that occurred just a week apart at the same construction zone on Indio Boulevard earlier this month are being investigated as arson. The fires happened at a construction site for a new AM/PM gas station and car wash located at 81933 Indio Blvd. on July 4 and July 11. The first fire completely

The former boys’ basketball coach for a local high school is free on bond after he was charged with raping a teenage girl he coached. Ryan Leron Towner, 35, was arrested June 10 following a rape investigation launched by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department on April 23, 2021. The alleged crime occurred between August 2017

The Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) has confirmed that they are investigating two separate shootings that happened overnight Tuesday. The first shooting involved two homes on San Rafael Drive which happened just before 11 p.m. on Monday. No injuries were reported. Police said they received the call regarding shots fired. On scene police discovered two

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Former U.S. Senator and Coachella Valley resident Barbara Boxer was assaulted and robbed Monday in Oakland, California, her son said. The assault happened in the Jack London Square neighborhood, according to a tweet on Boxer’s verified Twitter account. “The assailant pushed her in the back, stole her cell phone and jumped in

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