Crime

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A felon who gunned down an Indio man during a street confrontation stemming from an apparent grudge was convicted today of second-degree murder and other charges. After two days of deliberations, an Indio jury on Wednesday found Hilario Larry Muela Jr., 39, of Indio, guilty of the murder count, along with

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office renewed calls for information related to a 2002 homicide case out of La Quinta. Hernan Marquez, 27, of Indio, was killed in a shooting in the early morning hours of August 11, 2002. Investigators determined that Marquez was attending a house party on the 52000

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Three people were arrested and 26 others were cited during a DUI checkpoint in Indio, authorities said today.    The checkpoint was held from 6 p.m. until midnight Monday at the intersection of Indio Boulevard and Oasis Street, according to the Indio Police Department. One person was arrested on suspicion of

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury is slated to be seated before week’s end for the trial of an ex-substitute teacher in the Coachella Valley accused of perpetrating lewd acts during online contact with a female student, as well as sexually assaulting another woman. Edward Noel Alvarado Valadez, 31, of Coachella was arrested in 2019

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people were arrested and 28 drivers were cited during a DUI checkpoint conducted over the weekend in Indian Wells.    The checkpoint was held from 6 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday at Highway 111 and El Dorado Drive, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Of the 921

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – A man arrested last week in connection with a double homicide case in Thermal has been exonerated, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday. The man, a 43-year-old from Mecca, was released from custody on Tuesday. Authorities said he was cleared as a suspect after investigators corroborated new leads and

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – A suspect was arrested in connection with a stabbing that left a person in critical condition after being stabbed Thursday night in Mecca. The stabbing was reported just before 7:00 p.m. on the 91000 block of 2nd Street, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. “… deputies located a subject with injuries

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A former Coachella Valley girls soccer coach who molested and propositioned multiple students was sentenced today to 61 years, four months in state prison. A Banning jury in October convicted 30-year-old Juan Manuel Pantoja Troncoso of Salton City of three counts each of forcible lewd acts on a child and contacting

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Pretrial motions got underway today ahead of jury selection for the trial of an ex-instructional assistant for the Coachella Valley Unified School District accused of perpetrating lewd acts during online contact with a female student. Edward Noel Alvarado Valadez, 31, of Coachella was arrested in 2019 following a Riverside County Sheriff’s

Update 2/18/26 The suspect, Diego Gallardo, 32, was officially charged with attempted murder along with other charges, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center. Gallardo is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 27 for a felony settlement conference. Original Report 2/12/26 DESERT HOT

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Salton City man accused of the murder of a missing 17-year-old girl pleaded not guilty to all charges in his first court appearance on Wednesday. Abraham Feinbloom, 51, is charged with murder and resisting a peace officer in connection with the T’Neya Tovar case, a teenager reported missing on

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 28-year-old man was arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in Indio in December 2021. Pedro Angel Gonzalez was arrested on Feb. 11 in Coachella during a traffic stop, the Indio Police Department announced on Tuesday. Gonzalez has been charged with first-degree murder, shooting at a vehicle/dwelling, assault with a

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Police are searching for a suspect after a 36-year-old man was killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in the Dream Homes neighborhood of Cathedral City. The shooting was reported at around 11:15 a.m. on the 30800 block of San Gabriel Circle. Police said officers arrived at the scene and found