Duo Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ To Related Murder Charges In Indio

A reputed gang member and his girlfriend pleaded not guilty today to charges stemming from the fatal shooting of an Indio man.

David Isaac Lopez, 29, is accused of first-degree murder in the Sept. 6 shooting of Matthew Lamar Roberts, who was gunned down in his driveway in the 43400 block of Burr Street, north of Fred Waring Drive.

Amber Rader, 27, faces a felony charge of being an accessory to a murder for allegedly driving Lopez to and from the crime scene.

Roberts was arrested in July on drug charges, but police have not said if drug trafficking played a role in his death.

Lopez was identified as the alleged gunman through a photographic lineup, said Ben Guitron of the Indio Police Department.

Lopez, who allegedly has ties to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, has a history of drug and firearm violations dating back about 10 years, court records show.

He pleaded guilty in June to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to two months behind bars and three years probation.

Rader has previous arrests on theft and weapons charges.

They surrendered to Indio police Monday and were arrested, Guitron said.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Thomas N. Douglass set bail at $1 million each and ordered them to return to court Oct. 4 for a felony settlement conference.