Henry Marshall: Much more than a homicide victim
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has released the identity of the elderly man who was murdered in Palm Springs on Tuesday. DA officials said the victim was Henry Marshall. Marshall was 75 years old.
Past crimes revealed for parolee who led PSPD on high-speed chase through south Palm Springs
Pictures on Marshall’s Facebook page show his artwork, him spending a day with his sister and, years back, a photo of the man who the District Attorney’s office claims is his murderer — 30-year-old Jonathan Flora — sitting in his home. According to court documents, Flora was a former roommate of Marshall. A photo of Flora on Marshall’s Facebook page shows they knew each other since 2012.
“My understanding is that he was staying at the home with the victim in this case. Other than that, I don’t know any other specific connection between the two and I believe he was staying at the house at the time of the crime,” Public Information Officer for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office John Hall said.
Murder, evading arrest, kidnapping and false imprisonment charges were filed against Flora on Monday. According to court documents, Flora led police in a high-speed pursuit before he was taken into custody. Flora was in possession of Marshall’s car at the time. Officials said there were four other occupants in the car held against their will. Police said they found Flora wearing bloody clothes and shoes and with a significant cut on one finger. Police said Marshall was found stabbed in the head, face and body, floating face down in the pool.
Flora burglarized the same home about eight years ago, according to authorities.
Days after the crime, someone left flowers and a candle in front of the home, to remember the man who lived there.
Flora made his initial court appearance at the Larson Justice Center in Indio Monday afternoon. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was appointed a public defender. His bail was set at $3 million. He’s due back in court on June 1 for a felony settlement conference.
Flora’s preliminary hearing is slated for June 5.
Flora was arrested last Tuesday afternoon, hours after police discovered the body of Henry Marshall inside his home at 2290 Park Drive.
DA files murder charge against parolee connected to elderly man’s death in Palm Springs
Flora was spotted at 1:17 p.m. May 16 driving a vehicle on southbound Palm Canyon Drive with four passengers and refused to pull over, triggering a chase, police said. Flora reached speeds of 90 mph on Palm Canyon before driving onto the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, where the vehicle came to a rest near the trading post, police said.
Members of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians fully cooperated with the PSPD, and all four occupants of the vehicle were detained. The passengers were released after being interviewed, and Flora was initially booked on suspicion of violating parole.
Along with the burglary conviction, Flora was convicted in 2012 of making criminal threats against a man identified only as “Ivan Doe” in court documents, which state that Flora threatened the victim with a “fixed-blade
knife.”
Flora is held on $3 million bail and is due back in court at the Larson Justice Center in Indio June 1 for a Felony Settlement Conference.
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