Indio man sentenced for fatally stabbing family member during dispute

A 36-year-old man convicted of murder for stabbing at least two of his family members, one fatally, during a dispute in Indio was sentenced today to 22 years to life in prison.

Anthony William Piña-German of Indio was found guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation at the Larson Justice Center in Indio in October, John Hall of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office told City News Service. He was found not guilty of a second attempted murder charge and lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.   

Jurors also found sentence-enhancing allegations of use of a knife in both charges to be true.

At around 6:50 p.m. Nov. 26, 2022, officers responded to the 82900 block of Via Valencia to a family disturbance, and three men were found with stab wounds, according to the Indio Police Department.

Police said the victims and Piña-German were in a dispute before the stabbing occurred and the three men were taken to a hospital, where one of them -- 39-year-old Christopher Galvan -- died.

Officers said Piña-German left the scene before they arrived and based on the circumstances, police investigated the stabbing as a homicide in conjunction with the Riverside County coroner's office, according to the department.

Piña-German was found and arrested in El Centro the following morning. He is being held at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.