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‘It was fascinating to know him’: Community remembers Joseph Rajczi, 80-year-old Holocaust survivor killed in Palm Springs

Friends and family continue to remember Jenny Dillon and Joseph Rajczi, two Palm Springs residents found dead inside their homes earlier this year. Their accused killer is now behind bars.  

News Channel 3’s Madison Weil spoke on Thursday with community members who knew Joseph Rajczi personally. Rajczi was a local shop owner and survivor of the Holocaust. 

“Joseph would sit outside his store every day and I would be here every day too. And so I would stop and converse with him. He was just a very easygoing, gentle soul...a kindhearted man,” said Mitch Luther, Owner, Sazzy’s Galleria, Downtown Palm Springs.   

Shop-owners on the north end of downtown Palm Springs shared that Rajczi owned the clothing shop called ‘Best for Less’ on N. Palm Canyon Drive for more than 20 years. 

“We became really good friends. We’d talk to him about his life and he was just such a great guy,” said Gwen Gatti, Owner Tops n’ Tees, Downtown Palm Springs. 

Rajczi’s former shop is now shuttered. His friends and fellow business owners say he had just announced his retirement earlier this summer.  

“He sold his store only 30 days before this happened. So here he was finally about to retire and enjoy life...for this to happen right after...it’s heartbreaking,” said Joy Meredith, Owner, Crystal Fantasy, Downtown Palm Springs. 

“Complete shock and heartbreaking that he had just retired...it was tragic,” said Luther. 

“It’s just so sad I still can’t believe it. I’m still waiting for him to come in,” said Gatti. 

The community described Rajczi as kind and hard working: “He was always there five days a week, working his store,” said Luther. 

And generous: “He often gave some of his clothes to some of the people who were walking down the street...the unhoused,” said Meredith. “He had incredible stories to tell and it was fascinating to know him.” 

The man accused of killing Rajczi and Dillon, 31-year-old Luis Flores Cantor, appeared briefly in court on Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. His arraignment was delayed until September 17th. 

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Madison Weil

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