Crime

A 42-year-old man suspected of a commercial burglary in Palm Desert, and other burglaries across the Coachella Valley, was behind bars today on a $100,000 bail bond. The Indio resident was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of burglary, according to Sgt. Rovann Cleveland of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. In addition to Palm Desert, he’s

A 40-year-old man who was convicted again of killing a Palm Springs retiree in a financial enrichment scheme and dumping his body by Interstate 5 while en route to Daly City was sentenced today to life without the possibility of parole. Miguel Bustamante was found guilty of one felony count each of murder, using personal

The surviving daughter of a Riverside couple who were killed, alongside their other daughter, by a mentally disturbed Virginia law enforcement officer out to abduct a girl from their home filed suit today against the agency that hired the deceased lawman, alleging negligence and other factors.   “Our law enforcement agencies and their process for screening

A 37-year-old man fatally shot his octogenarian grandparents inside what was supposed to be a safe and comfortable home, a prosecutor told jurors today, but the defendant’s attorney said there are holes in the evidence, raising reasonable doubt about his guilt. Frank Scott Castro III is charged with two counts of murder, along with a

The Riverside County Coroner’s office have identified both the suspect and the victim of a murder-suicide that took place in Rancho Mirage over the weekend. According to a release on Wednesday, the suspect has been named as 61 year-old Carl Ashcroft of Simi Valley. Kathryn Ashcroft, 55, has been identified as the victim.    Deputies

A 61-year-old self-employed pool serviceman accused of killing of a 93-year-old woman in Palm Desert re-entered not guilty pleas today to felony charges. Benjamin Briones of Thousand Palms was charged with one felony count each of murder, burglary and forging a signature, according to court records. He additionally faces a special-circumstance allegation of committing murder

Felony charges were filed today against two women who allegedly took part in a smash-and-grab robbery with four men at a Palm Desert jewelry store last month. Destiny Unique Baca, 18, of San Bernardino, and 24-year-old Los Angeles resident Analea Paradise Miller were charged in two separate cases with one felony count each of robbery,

Two more suspects were arrested in connection with a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in Palm Desert. On Wednesday, police arrested two women, an 18-year-old from Los Angeles and a 24-year-old San Bernardino resident after serving search warrants in both those cities. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has arrested six suspects in total in

A 30-year-old Desert Hot Springs man who tried to kill his father by severely beating him and setting fire to his mobile home as he lay unconscious on the floor was convicted today of attempted murder and other charges. A Banning jury deliberated less than a day before finding Miguel Angel Espino guilty of the

The Indio Police Dept. arrested a man suspected of setting a fire at a Catholic church Wednesday afternoon. The incident was reported at Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Deglet Noor at around 3:20 p.m. According to a letter to the parents of the catholic school at the church, a man threw a glass bottle

A 24-year-old man suspected in a traffic collision that killed three people last year in Palm Desert was ordered today to stand trial on murder charges. Ricardo Adrian Meza of Palm Desert was charged with three counts of murder for the Dec. 28, 2022, deaths of Elena Morron, 84, of Los Angeles, and Anza residents