A parolee accused of bludgeoning a woman to death with a hammer in Desert Hot Springs made his initial court appearance Friday but did not enter a plea.
Arraignment was rescheduled to Jan. 11 for Joseph Cantu Montanez, 41, of Desert Hot Springs. He was arrested Monday on suspicion of killing 39-year-old Andrea Reyes, who was found dead at her home two days after Christmas, according to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.
Montanez, who is being held without bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, is charged with one count each of murder and attempted murder. The attempted murder count involves a victim identified in court papers only as “Corina C.”
According to the criminal complaint, the attempted murder occurred on the same day Reyes was killed, but no details have been released about that crime.
The defendant additionally faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a weapon — a hammer — during the commission of a murder.
Officers were sent a house in the 15600 block of Palm Drive to conduct a welfare check on Dec. 27 and discovered Reyes dead inside about 2:30 p.m.
Officers then “obtained information” that pinpointed Montanez as a suspect and arrested him Monday night, police said, but did not elaborate.
Montanez had an active warrant out for his arrest for an alleged parole violation from October, court records show.
He has felony convictions in Riverside County including robbery, false imprisonment and vehicle theft.