Investigators Monday announced an arrest in connection with the killing of a man found dead in a Palm Springs hotel bathtub.
Maciel Rogelio Cruz, 36, of Palm Desert, is accused of killing an unidentified man who was found dead around noon Saturday in the bathtub at the Musicland Hotel, 1342 S. Palm Canyon Drive.
The victim was found when officers were called to check on the man after he had failed to check out of the hotel at the required time, the Palm Springs Police Department said.
“The death appeared to be suspicious, which resulted in the response of the PSPD Detective Unit. The initial investigation revealed the death was a homicide,” police said.
Police said “several leads” led them to arrest Cruz, who “has an extensive criminal history involving violent crimes and narcotic sales,” according to police. His relationship, if any, to the victim, was unknown, however, and police said they were still working to uncover a motive for the alleged killing.
Cruz was arrested at around 4:45 p.m. Sunday in the 73800 block of San Nicholas Avenue in Palm Desert.
Anyone with information about the death was urged to contact The Palm Springs Police Department at (760) 778-8411 or can provide information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-7867.