Arizona woman to stand trial for allegedly gunning down Indio motel occupant

A 31-year-old Arizona woman accused of gunning down another woman at an Indio motel must stand trial for murder and other offenses, a judge ruled today.

Carla Sharese Flores allegedly gunned down 27-year-old Ashley Brito of Thousand Palms at the City Center Motel last year.   

Following a preliminary hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer found there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial on the murder count, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.  

Freer scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for May 4 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Flores remains held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

According to Indio police, patrol officers went to the motel at 83597 Indio Blvd. on the evening of March 31, 2021, to investigate reports of a woman who had been shot.

Brito was found dead in a room. Investigators quickly identified Flores as the alleged shooter and obtained a warrant for her arrest. 

A possible motive for the shooting was not disclosed.   

Two days later, El Centro police officers were called to investigate a disturbance at a motel and encountered Flores, who was taken into custody without incident for alleged offenses in Imperial County.  

Flores allegedly gave officers a fake name, but investigators confirmed her identity and learned that she was wanted in Indio, resulting in her being turned over to Indio police a few days later.

Flores has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.