THERMAL – After being identified as a person of interest, a man turned him into authorities on Saturday and was arrested for murder.
On April 16, 2016, at about 4:53 am, deputies assigned to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Thermal station were called to the 85-400 block of Middleton Street where an assault had reportedly taken place. Prior to the deputies’ arrival, witnesses reported that two victims had been transported by friends to John F. Kennedy Hospital in Indio.
Deputies were able to verify that two adult Hispanic male victims had been admitted to the hospital. One victim, age 23, died after medical intervention failed and the surviving victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Investigators from the Thermal Station and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the locations and assumed the investigation. According to Sergeant Walter Mendez, Abel Arellano, age 23, of Indio was identified as a person of interest and investigators began actively seeking his whereabouts.
Abel Arellano was described as a Hispanic male adult, 5’7″, 250 lbs., black hair, and brown eyes.
The same day of the crime at about 10:00 pm, Abel Arellano arrived at the Thermal station and turned himself in to investigators with the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit. Arellano was interviewed and subsequently arrested for murder and attempted murder. Mr. Arellano was then transported to the Indio Jail located in the city of Indio where he was booked into custody for 187 PC-Murder.
