La Quinta Teens Face Murder Charges In Shooting Death Of 17-Year-Old

PALM DESERT, CA —Two young men accused of gunning down a 17-year-old boy during a confrontation in La Quinta were charged Wednesday with murder.

Elijah Alfredo Martinez of Bermuda Dunes and Dominick Cruz Venecia of Coachella -- both 18 -- were arrested Sunday following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation.

Along with murder, both defendants are charged with sentence-enhancing gun use allegations.

They were slated to make a joint initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Each is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center.

Sheriff's officials said the alleged attack happened about 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the 79000 block of Paseo Del Rey, near La Quinta Park.

According to Sgt. Lance Stoyer, deputies were sent to the location to investigate reports of a shooting, but couldn't find a victim. However, they were soon informed that a boy had been taken from the area to a Coachella Valley hospital for treatment.

Stoyer said the victim, whose identity was not immediately released, arrived at the trauma center "with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound."

The teenager succumbed a short time later.

Martinez and Venecia were identified the same day as suspects, and detectives eventually obtained sufficient evidence to serve arrest warrants on each -- Martinez on Airport Boulevard in Thermal Sunday afternoon, and Venecia near the intersection of Avenue 50 and Mazatlan Drive in Coachella Sunday night.

They were taken into custody without incident.

A possible motive for the slaying wasn't disclosed.

Neither defendant has documented prior felony convictions in adult court. Juvenile records were unavailable.