Murder charge dismissed against Silvercrest CEO in Cathedral City hit-and-run case

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) --UPDATED: The murder charge against Silvercrest CEO William “Billy” Rodriguez has been dismissed following a preliminary hearing in the case stemming from a deadly 2024 crash in Cathedral City.

Judge John Ryan ruled there was not enough evidence for the murder count to move forward.

However, Ryan found sufficient evidence for Rodriguez to stand trial on felony hit-and-run causing death and driving on a suspended license.

Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the October 2024 crash that killed 60-year-old Christina Barrington in Cathedral City.

The judge’s decision comes after the preliminary hearing resumed Monday, with investigators presenting evidence about the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Rodriguez will be back in court on September 15th for his next arraignment. The conditions of his bail are $2 million dollars, scram alcohol monitoring, gps tracking, and surrender of his passport.

During the first day of testimony, investigators said surveillance video showed the SUV traveling about 65 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. Investigators also testified that the vehicle never appeared to brake before the impact.

The dismissal of the murder charge means Rodriguez will not face that count at trial, but he will still face the felony hit-and-run causing death and suspended-license charges.

Barrington's daughter, Christiana Lewis, is separately suing Rodriguez, Silvercrest Advertising and the City of Cathedral City in a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging in part a burnt-out streetlight left the crash site in a dangerous condition.

News Channel 3 has been in court throughout the morning and will have much more on Judge John Ryan’s decision tonight on News Channel 3.