In a case that began with a suspicious disappearance, closing arguments wrapped up Wednesday in the trial of two suspects accused in the 2017 killing of a Coachella Valley couple. The jury has begun deliberations on the trial against Aaron Bernal and Adilene Castaneda, who, along with Manuel Rios and Abraham Fregoso, are suspected in
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A 2025 trial date was confirmed today for a Coachella man suspected of driving under the influence and causing a crash that killed a 36-year-old woman in Palm Desert. Alberto Lopez, 27, was ordered to stand trial for a felony count of murder in August at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. He initially pleaded
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A man accused of breaking into an Indio storage unit and stealing items including the ashes of the renter’s deceased son was absent from a scheduled court appearance, authorities said today. Thalia Hayden of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office told City News Service on Wednesday that Indio resident Wally Venecia failed to show up
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A minor was rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound Tuesday night in Desert Hot Springs. The shooting was reported at a little after 9:00 p.m. at the soccer park inside Mission Springs Park on Palm Drive. News Channel 3 crew at the scene saw officers placing multiple markers along the park. The Desert
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A 16-year-old boy became the third person arrested in connection with a deadly shooting earlier this year in Coachella. The teenager was arrested Tuesday in the city of Ontario. He was later booked into Juvenile Hall for murder, robbery, and conspiracy. Due to his age, his identity will not be disclosed. The arrest was related
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An 18-year-old suspect charged along with a teenager of killing another 18-year-old man in Coachella was charged today with murder and robbery. Fabian Diaz pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to case records. Diaz and the 17-year-old boy also accused in the case are both Coachella
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Three people were taken into custody after a handcuffed suspect ran from deputies Tuesday morning in Rancho Mirage. The incident started on the 34000 block of Rebecca Way. Deputies were called to the area after a report of a suspicious vehicle occupied by three subjects. Deputies detained two subjects, but one ran from the area
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A 2025 trial date was confirmed today for a 32-year-old man accused in a fatal shooting in Cathedral City. Along with a murder charge, Jose Ernesto Martinez of Desert Hot Springs is facing sentence-enhancing allegations including discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and using a weapon in commission of a crime. Martinez’s trial was
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One of two former Riverside County Superior Court clerks indicted for mishandling privileged information connected to a criminal case pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit a crime. Michelle Valdez, 59, of Thousand Palms admitted the felony count in a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. No charges were dismissed. The admission
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The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is continuing a financial crimes investigation involving a teacher’s alleged misuse of Coachella Valley Unified School District funds. The investigation began on Oct. 15, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said there is no threat to staff or students. There was no word on whether any arrests have been made.
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A 17-year-old and 18-year-old were arrested for the murder of a Coachella man in August, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. 18-year-old Isaac Gonzalez was found dead on August 28, 2024 when Thermal Sheriff’s located him in the area of Calle Rojo and Calle Camachothe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities say they arrested
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Palm Springs police are investigating an attempted murder following a shooting early Saturday morning in downtown Palm Springs according to the department. Officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 200 block of N. Palm Canyon Drive at approximately 1:44 a.m. and located two victims involved in the incident. One individual sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot
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A man who killed a 16-year-old Moreno Valley girl because she got him expelled from school, hiding her body somewhere in the San Bernardino Mountains, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A Riverside jury in August deliberated barely a day before convicting 23-year-old Owen Skyler Shover of Hesperia of
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A suspect accused of taking part in a robbery with five others at a Palm Desert business last year pleaded guilty to multiple charges today. Mason Barron, 22 — a Southern Californian, whose city of residence was not provided — entered guilty pleas to four felony counts of robbery, two felony counts of burglary, and
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A woman suspected along with a man and two juveniles of robbing a jewelry store at the Palm Desert mall was convicted today, while the man was found not guilty of the same charge. Cleopatra Tredai Jones, 26, of Los Angeles was found guilty of a felony count of robbery Friday at the Larson Justice
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Two women federally indicted for allegedly ripping off a financial assistance program intended to provide support for businesses suffering amid the COVID lockdowns, joining with others in stealing an estimated $3.5 million, were taken into custody today in Riverside County. Denise Mata, 34, of Moreno Valley and Vanessa M. Williams, 35, of Corona were
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A Thermal man accused of molesting a young girl several times and then trying to intimidate her and her mother into changing their stories to spare him from criminal prosecution was convicted of multiple charges today. Elit Barroso Miranda, 41, was found guilty of two counts of lewd acts on a child, 11 counts of violating
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A 44-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting a man in Desert Hot Springs must stand trial for murder, a judge ruled today. In addition to murder, case records indicated that Oscar Ernesto Canas was also held to answer for a felony count of assault with a gun on Thursday at the Larson Justice Center
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Jacob Rostovsky, the CEO of the local non-profit Queer Works, has been indicted on 53 felony counts in a fraud scheme surrounding a universal basic income pilot program in Palm Springs, the Riverside County District Attorney’s office announced. District Attorney Mike Hestrin said a jury returned a 53-count indictment against Rostovsky on Tuesday. Rostovsky, 33,
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The last of four suspects in a stabbing at a Desert Hot Springs hotel more than three years ago was sentenced today after pleading guilty to multiple charges. Jaime Eduardo Reynaga, 39, entered guilty pleas to felony counts of assault causing great bodily injury and first-degree burglary in July. John Hall of the Riverside
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