Man Accused In Valley Shotgun Slaying Pleads Not Guilty

INDIO, CA — A man charged with gunning down another man at the site of an illegal gambling operation in Desert Hot Springs pleaded not guilty Monday to a murder charge.

James Angle, 43, is accused in the Dec. 11, 2018, shooting of Joseph Gimino in the 66500 block of Pierson Boulevard. Gimino was hospitalized with what was initially believed to be a non-life threatening shotgun wound to his right arm, but died three days later due to unspecified "complications," according to an arrest warrant declaration.

Court documents state that a Desert Hot Springs detective interviewed Gimino in the hospital, during which the victim said he sold Angle a generator. Angle later allegedly claimed that Gimino originally stole the generator from him, then resold it to him, and demanded that Gimino refund his money, according to the declaration.

Angle later confronted Gimino outside a Pierson Boulevard business and was captured on surveillance footage slashing the tires on Gimino's vehicle, the declaration alleges. Gimino is then seen exiting the business and chasing Angle with a firearm, after which Angle runs toward the "passenger side of an awaiting nearby vehicle," according to the declaration. Gimino was shot seconds later and the car sped away.

A second suspect, Raymond Villegas Jr., was allegedly inside the business when the shooting occurred. Villegas, 26, is awaiting trial in a separate attempted murder case for allegedly firing at least one gunshot at a Desert Hot Springs police officer.

The declaration states that "seconds after the shooting," Villegas was seen on surveillance footage exiting the business and picking up Gimino's gun as the victim was laying in the street. He then allegedly got into the car in which Angle fled, and they drove off.

Details on the alleged gambling operation have not been disclosed.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock