Child's Ashes Among Items Stolen From Indio Storage Unit

INDIO, CA — A woman and three men were arrested in connection with a break-in at an Indio storage unit from which items were stolen including the ashes of the victim's deceased son, police said Friday.

Taylor Spencer, 31, of Thousand Palms, and 36-year-old Juan Carlos Molina of Indio were charged with one felony count of burglary, according to court records. Wally Venecia, 43, of Indio, and 54-year-old Victor Banuelos of La Quinta were each charged with one felony count of receiving stolen property, which Spencer was also charged with.

Banuelos was additionally charged with three felony counts of being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a firearm and possessing controlled substances while armed, according to court records. Molina, Venecia, and Banuelos pleaded not guilty to their respective charges Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio and their next court appearance was set for Nov. 28.

Spencer is set to be arraigned Dec. 28.

The burglary occurred sometime between Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at Prime Storage in the 42900 block of Madison Street, according to a statement from the Indio Police Department. Detectives pursued multiple leads over the following days before two traffic stops and a search warrant led them to arrest Molina.

According to inmate records, Molina was arrested Nov. 9 and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he remains held on $25,000 bail.

Detectives then found some of the victim's belongings at a Bermuda Dunes motel, but the ashes were not immediately located, according to police. A search warrant was served in Palm Desert, where Victor Banuelos was arrested for allegedly having a large amount of the victim's property, an assault weapon, additional handguns, and 1.3 pounds of methamphetamine for sale, police said.

He was arrested Nov. 10 and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, but was released Nov. 16.

"Due to the continuing investigation, the child's ashes were dropped off at Cal Fire Station #81 (in Palm Desert)," according to a police statement. "Detectives quickly responded to the fire station and contacted the Riverside County Coroner who was in possession of the ashes of the victim's child."

The ashes were delivered to the family, and two additional suspects, Venecia and Spencer, were subsequently found and arrested Monday in Coachella, according to police.

Spencer was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, but was released the next day on a $10,000 bail bond, according to inmate records. Venecia was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center, where he remains held on $50,000 bail.

Anyone with additional information on the burglary was asked to call Detective Andres Meraz at 760-541-4120 or Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-341-7867.