Crime

Update 6/18/24 Maury Duarte was convicted of first-degree murder. Jurors also found true special circumstance allegations of killing a witness to a crime and lying in wait. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty for Duarte, but the special circumstance allegations open her to a possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of

One person is in custody after a police pursuit that ended when a car crashed into a house in Coachella Friday morning. The incident started at around 11:15 a.m. when deputies were called to the area of Avenue 52 and Frederick regarding the report of a reckless driver. “Upon arrival, deputies attempted a traffic enforcement

A 39-year-old woman who fatally shot her husband during a dispute at their Coachella home was convicted today of murder.    An Indio jury deliberated less than a day before finding Cindy Gicela Parra Hernandez guilty of the 2022 slaying of Francisco Lopez.    Along with murder, jurors convicted Hernandez of assault with a deadly

A 58-year-old man suspected of illegal sales of illicit drugs and firearms was taken into custody today in Desert Hot Springs. Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force personnel, with the assistance of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau, executed a search warrant Thursday at a house in the 66300 block of Avenida

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office released body cam footage of a deputy-involved shooting that happened in April in La Quinta. A deputy shot a knife-wielding suspect in the 44000 block of Vista Dunes Lane in La Quinta just before midnight on April 3, 2024. Deputies were originally called to respond to an assault with a

Two La Quinta residents accused of stealing property from multiple vehicles in the Indian Wells area were arrested today.    Riverside Sheriff’s Palm Desert Station deputies responded to reports of vehicle burglaries on May 25, according to Sgt. Chris Gelinas.    The Indian Wells Special Enforcement Team (SET) went to a residence in the 76000

A suspect in a wheelchair was arrested in connection with a gunpoint robbery in Bermuda Dunes Wednesday afternoon. The robbery was reported at around 1:30 p.m. on the 79000 block of Avenue 42. “Upon arrival, deputies contacted the victim, who advised they were robbed at gunpoint,” writes Lieutenant Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff’s

Jury deliberations began today in the trial of one of two defendants accused in the slaying of an 18-year-old woman, who was a witness to the defendant’s alleged attack on her boyfriend. Alexis Daniel Rosas, 28, of Indio, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, special circumstance allegations of killing a witness to a crime

A judge today confirmed a June 24 trial date for a 62-year-old self-employed pool service worker accused of killing a 93-year-old woman in Palm Desert. Benjamin Cabrera Briones of Thousand Palms is scheduled to be tried on one felony count each of murder, burglary and forging a signature, according to court records. He additionally faces

One driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and 14 others were cited during a driver’s license/DUI operation in La Quinta, authorities announced today. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department personnel held the checkpoint at Washington Street and Avenue 47 from 6 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday.    The majority of the citations

A 36-year-old man accused of striking multiple vehicles while leading officers on a vehicle pursuit from Indio to Thermal pleaded guilty to four felony counts today. John Anthony Aispuro Jr. of Indio was charged with single counts each of evading arrest, eluding a pursuing peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer

A convicted felon who killed a 64-year-old Anza man while stealing marijuana and money tied to his illegal cannabis grow was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Jodi Lynn Miller, 48, of Rancho Cucamonga was convicted last month with Jesse Robert Thurbush, 43, of Victorville of first-degree murder for the

A 31-year-old man was convicted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Indio. Mark Bravo, 28, of Indio pled guilty to fleeing the scene of a crash that killed a pedestrian on Feb. 4, 2021 near the intersection of Monroe Street and Avenue 42. The pedestrian was identified as Anthony Duran, 51, of