Sixth Teenage Suspect Faces Judge In DHS Stabbing Case

A 17-year-old boy accused, along with his younger brother and four other teens, in the slaying of a Desert Hot Springs man during a gang- related fight pleaded not guilty today to a first-degree murder charge.

Jonathan Romero is being prosecuted in adult court, along with his 15- year-old brother, Angel David Romero, Ruben Alexander Chavez, 14, Steven Ray Arellano, who just turned 14, Omar Hernandez, 16, and David Larios, 17.

The six are charged in the stabbing death of 23-year-old Jose Alvarez Villalobos, who died at a hospital following a street fight early last Sunday in the 66000 block of Third Street near Cactus Drive.

Eight people, including some of the defendants, were injured in the melee.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge William Lebov granted the elder Romero’s request to visit with his mother and sister at Juvenile Hall, as he did earlier this week for the other defendants.

Juvenile defendants have to ask permission for special requests directly from the court.

All six defendants are due in court July 20 for a felony settlement conference.

The teens are believed to have connections to the Desert Hot Springs West Drive Locos gang and will face additional gang-related charges in the near future, Deputy District Attorney David Anderson said outside the courtroom.

Police have not said how the fight began.