Judge confirms trial date for man who allegedly shot mother of his children

A judge confirmed today the trial date for a probationer accused of gunning down the 24-year-old mother of his children in Desert Hot Springs.

Jesse Rico Valenzuela, 32, of Desert Hot Springs, was charged with murder for allegedly killing Amina Duro in November 2020. He was also charged with two felony counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one misdemeanor count each of resisting arrest, evading police in a vehicle and violating a court order.   

During a March 2022 preliminary hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, a judge dismissed the resisting arrest charge but found sufficient evidence for Valenzuela to stand trial on the other charges.

The defendant's trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 14, 2025, according to case records.

Valenzuela remains held at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on $1 million bail.

On Nov. 7, 2020, officers were sent to 66700 block of Eighth Street at about 7 p.m. in response to a report of a gunshot victim. Arriving officers found Duro suffering from a single gunshot wound, and pronounced her dead at the scene, police said.

Officers confirmed the suspect and victim had children together, according to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, who said a court order was in place barring Valenzuela from coming into contact with Duro.  

He was on probation at the time of his arrest stemming from a 2018 felony spousal abuse conviction, court records show. It was not immediately clear if the case involved the same woman.

Valenzuela has other felony convictions for burglary and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger.