Suspected Apple Market Murderer Surrenders To Police
A man was gunned down at a Thermal gas station while pumping gas nearly a week ago and on Thursday the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the killer has turned himself in.
The suspect surrendered without incident just after 12 p.m. on Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center.
He told a sheriff’s deputy that he was tired of running and confessed to the shooting death of 47-year-old Raphael Ochoa Madrigal.
The victim’s friends called him Rapha.
He used to frequent Las Floras Bar in Thermal.
The owner, Olga Castro, said she knew him for 10 years.
Castro says Madrigal would sit on a stool and often order a Bud Light.
She is still scratching her head, confused as to why Felix Soto-Arriaga, 35, shot and killed her friend.
“I think he probably knew that they were gonna catch up with him,” she said. “I mean, he knew that they were looking for him.”
Captain Raymond Gregory with the Sheriff’s Department agrees.
“It’s not unheard of,” he said. “Sometimes people, for a variety of reasons, decide to turn themselves in and confess to crimes.”
Witnesses provided authorties with Soto-Arriaga’s license plate on the night of the shooting.
Authorities say the physical description of his face and car obtained on friday turned out to be accurate.
“Once the man turned himself in, investigators came to the scene and they actually spoke with him and were able to confirm through his statements that it appeared he was involved,” said Gregory.
Friends say Rapha just got off of work on Friday before stopping at the Apple Market.
He went there to cash a check.
Rapha was on his way to his mobile home just a few miles away, and while pumping gas into his van, Soto-Arriaga allegedly parked beside Madrigal, pulled out a handgun and shot him from inside the car.
“(Soto-Arriaga) stated that he had the weapon that was used in the crime and a handgun was found inside his vehicle,” said Gregory.
Rapha’s home in Thermal sits in the darkness and his favorite seat at Las Floras is empty.
Afriend and family member is dead. But his killer is behind bars.
“I’m happy because people that are carrying guns, I mean, they’re doing all these crimes and they’re doing robberies and they’re killing — senseless,” said Castro. “So, I’m glad that he got caught or turned himself in.”
A memorial service was held for Rapha yesterday in Coachella.
Authorities have not released a motive in this crime.
Soto-Arriaga is being held without bail at the Indio jail for murder.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Joshua Button of the Central Homicide Unit at (760) 393-3500, or Investigator Ramirez of the Indio Station at (760) 863-8990.
