Man Accused Of Killing Palm Desert Father, Daughter Enters Plea

A Palm Desert man accused of killing his next-door neighbor’s son and 2-year-old granddaughter amid a dispute over scratches on a pickup truck pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in Riverside County court in Indio on Friday.

His plea came more than four months after the fatal shooting.

Juan Carlos Alcala, 43, is charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a firearm in the April 8 shootings at the Hovley Gardens Apartments at 74501 42nd Ave.

Alcala also is facing a special circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders, which could make him eligible for the death penalty if he’s convicted of killing 24-year-old Felipe Lozano Jr. and his daughter, said Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall.

A decision on whether to seek the death penalty “is down the road, but the special circumstance allegations make him eligible for that,” according to Hall.

At Friday’s hearing, Alcala’s attorney presented evidence from a mental evaluation already conducted on his client, enforcing his insanity plea.

The court received documents from the county department of public health Thursday, according to court records.

The judge ordered Alcala to be evaluated further by two more psychiatrists.

Witnesses told police that Alcala and Lozano exchanged words April 7. Lozano allegedly accused Alcala of scratching his pickup truck in the lot outside the apartment complex and filed a police report, which allegedly upset Alcala.

“(Alcala) threatened him. He told him (in Spanish), `I’m going to kill you,’ and that’s what he did,” Lozano’s brother, Fabian, has said.

Around noon the next day, the defendant allegedly burst into Afra Lozano’s apartment and opened fire, fatally wounding the 43-year-old woman’s son and granddaughter, Doria “Zoe” Lozano-Reynoso. Afra Lozano was wounded but survived.

Felipe died at the scene, and his daughter was airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she died that night.

Alcala, his wife and child live in the unit next door to Afra Lozano, who has several of her children living with her. Felipe had previously lived there but was residing with his father at the time of his death, family members said.

Fabian Lozano said his brother was a hard worker who stayed out of trouble and was committed to raising his daughter. He said his sibling wanted to avoid a confrontation with Alcala over the truck scratching so instead called police.