Trio accused in Cabazon outlets deadly robbery of Palm Springs man arraigned in court
Twin 19-year-old brothers accused with an 18-year-old in a robbery that culminated in the shooting death of a 66-year-old shopper at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon pled not guilty to murder and robbery charges Friday morning.
Emanuel Rick Burt and Elijah Ray Burt, of Victorville, were extradited to Riverside County last month from Las Vegas where the pair were taken into custody based on an arrest warrant stemming from the slaying of Michael Moser of Palm Springs.
Emanuel Burt pled not guilty to robbery while his brother pled not guilty to a first-degree murder charge, a special circumstance allegation of killing during a robbery, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The brothers were arraigned before Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton at the Banning Justice Center who scheduled a felony settlement conference for the pair on July 27.
Emanuel Burt is being held on $135,000 bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, where his brother is being held without bail.
Their co-defendant, 18-year-old Reginald Charles Trice of Victorville, was arrested in April and pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, illegal possession of a firearm, a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery, and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
Their co-defendant, 18-year-old Reginald Charles Trice of Victorville, was arrested in April and pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, illegal possession of a firearm, a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery, and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
An amended complaint was filed Friday that additionally charges him with illegal possession of a gun. He's slated to appear with the Burt brothers on July 27.
Sheriff's Sgt. Ben Ramirez alleged that Trice confronted Moser shortly before 7 p.m. on March 24 at the mall, although the specific location within the mall wasn't disclosed.
Ramirez said that Moser was shot at least once, prompting calls to 911, after which deputies and paramedics converged on the location. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies did not locate the defendants when they reached the mall.
However, Ramirez said over the ensuing weeks, detectives developed leads pointing to Trice as one of the alleged assailants. A warrant was obtained and served at his residence in the 15500 block of Morada Road on April 21, according to the sheriff's spokesman.
Trice was taken into custody without incident.
The brothers were identified and listed in the criminal complaint after Trice's arrest.
None of the defendants have documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
