INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Prosecutors intend to retry a man for voluntary manslaughter after a jury deadlocked on whether to convict him for allegedly helping a 22-year-old Rancho Mirage resident obtain the fentanyl that killed him. The Indio jury weighing the fate of Riley Jacob Hagar, 28, of Cathedral City acquitted him Tuesday of murder
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – The nephew of the late San Diego Chargers legend Junior Seau, who initially faced a murder charge in connection with a fatal fentanyl sale, has been granted mental health diversion, which could result in the case’s dismissal if he successfully completes the program. Micah Rodgers Seau, 33, was charged with
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old Rancho Mirage man who died from fentanyl poisoning wouldn’t have had access to the pills that killed him without the direct assistance of a friend now on trial for murder, a prosecutor said today, while the defendant’s attorney countered his client can’t be blamed for the victim’s death because
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old Rancho Mirage man consumed a fatal dose of fentanyl that his friend helped him procure, a prosecutor said today, while the attorney for the accused countered that his client only aided in facilitating a transaction and “did not murder anybody.” Riley Jacob Hagar, 28, of Cathedral City, is charged
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The death of a 34-year-old California Highway Patrol officer following a Culver City traffic crash that occurred while he and his partner were transporting a DUI suspect was caused by the effects of the powerful opioid fentanyl, the county Medical Examiner’s Office announced today. Officer Miguel Cano, 34, was driving a
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury was seated today for the trial of a man accused of providing a deadly dose of fentanyl to a 22-year-old Rancho Mirage resident on New Year’s Day 2022. Riley Jacob Hagar, 28, of Cathedral City is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Travis O’Brien. After more
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A Jurupa Valley woman partly responsible for her 1-year-old son’s ingestion of a deadly dose of fentanyl was bound for state prison today to serve a sentence of 12 years, four months behind bars after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and another felony. Sandy Alyssa Acuna, 25, admitted the manslaughter count,
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A man partly responsible for supplying a deadly dose of fentanyl to a 35-year-old Riverside resident was sentenced today to six years in state prison. David Ray Mullins, 48, of Jurupa Valley pleaded guilty on Feb. 6 to involuntary manslaughter and two counts of possession of controlled substances for sale under
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, visited the Otay Mesa detention facility today to tout the border’s security and denounce Democrats for failing to fund her department, likely leading to a shutdown Saturday. Mike Banks, chief of the United States Border Patrol, joined Noem, along with San Diego County
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A man and woman responsible for supplying a deadly dose of fentanyl to a 35-year-old Riverside resident pleaded guilty today to felony charges, while trial proceedings were tentatively scheduled next week for a third defendant. Jaclyn Christine Sherman, 32, of Riverside and David Ray Mullins, 48, of Jurupa Valley both reached
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SAN DIEGO (CNS) – More than a half-billion dollars worth of fentanyl was seized in California over the past five years as part of expanded drug enforcement efforts at the southern border, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday in San Diego. More than 50 million fentanyl pills worth an estimated $506 million and weighing 34,357 pounds
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By Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday classifying “illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals” as weapons of mass destruction — though it was not immediately clear what practical effect that might have. “Today I’m taking one more step to protect Americans from the scourge of deadly fentanyl
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CULVER CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A potentially life-saving initiative will see fentanyl test strips distributed to students and their families by the Culver City Unified School District in a pilot program approved this week, officials announced today. A unanimous decision was reached at Tuesday’s meeting of the CCUSD Board of Education to provide free, pocket-sized
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In continuing coverage, the death of former local Assemblymember Brian Nestande was back in the headlines on Tuesday. News Channel 3 is confirming with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office that all fentanyl deaths are investigated as a homicide. As we reported back in May 2024, an autopsy report confirms the former state assembly member died of
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Desert man was sentenced to prison for supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 30-year-old man in 2022. Gregory Michael Gauto, 39, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter Thursday and immediately sentenced to six years, The case dates back to Sept. 26, 2022, when deputies responded to a report
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SANTA ANA, Calif. (KESQ) – Fentanyl-related deaths saw a five-year low in Orange County, authorities said today. There were 407 fentanyl-related deaths in the county last year, down from 613 in 2023. Sheriff’s officials say the trend is continuing this year so far. According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, there were 20
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MURRIETA (CNS) – A 21-year-old man accused of providing a fatal dose of fentanyl to a Murrieta resident will be tried in federal court, instead of state court, after he was indicted for the offenses by a federal grand jury, prosecutors confirmed today. Miguel Angel Gonzalez was arrested last year following an investigation by the
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A convicted drug dealer who supplied a deadly dose of fentanyl to a 30-year-old Temecula man was convicted today of murder. It is the second fentanyl-related murder conviction in Riverside County. After deliberating less than a day, a Riverside jury on Wednesday found Quinn Aaron McKellips, 39, of Winchester guilty in
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COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A tragic case in Desert Hot Springs is shining a spotlight on the growing danger of fentanyl — not just for users, but for the most vulnerable: children. An I-Team investigation has uncovered two separate cases in the last two years where children under the age of four died from
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) – The U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector today announced an increase in drug smuggling attempts using car batteries. Over the past couple months, border officers have intercepted multiple loads of drugs concealed under the hood of vehicles inside the battery, according to the agency. “As we continue to gain
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