A man accused of fatally beating a 33-year-old transient during a confrontation near downtown Riverside is slated to be arraigned Friday on a charge of first-degree murder.
Rayjai Watters, 23, of Riverside was arrested in December following a Riverside Police Department investigation into the slaying of Richard Castaneda.
Watters is due to appear before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gary Polk at the Riverside Hall of Justice Friday morning.
The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
According to police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback, the alleged attack happened just before 7 a.m. on Nov. 28 in the 5900 block of Magnolia Avenue, near Jurupa Avenue, in an area known as the “Woods Streets.”
Railsback alleged there was an unspecified conflict which led to an “unprovoked and brutal attack” perpetrated by Watters against Castaneda, who was homeless.
The victim was severely beaten about the head with an undisclosed instrument, after which Watters allegedly fled, according to Railsback.
He said first responders arrived minutes later and discovered Castaneda unconscious with major trauma. He was taken to nearby Riverside Community Hospital, where he lingered in a coma until his death on Dec. 4.
Robbery-Homicide Unit detectives soon identified Watters as the alleged assailant and obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was taken into custody without incident on Dec. 8 along Iowa Avenue and transported to the downtown jail.
Watters has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.