Felony charges are expected to be filed Wednesday against two young men suspected of gunning down a 17-year-old boy during a confrontation in La Quinta.
Elijah Alfredo Martinez of Bermuda Dunes and Dominick Cruz Venecia of Coachella — both 18 — were arrested and booked into the Benoit Detention Center in Indio Sunday on suspicion of murder.
Each suspect is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Their case was under review Tuesday by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials said the alleged attack happened about 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the 79-000 block of Paseo Del Rey, near La Quinta Park.
According to Sgt. Lance Stoyer, deputies were sent to the location to investigate reports of a shooting, but couldn’t find a victim. However, they were soon informed that a boy had been taken from the area to a Coachella Valley hospital for treatment.
Stoyer said the victim, whose identity was not immediately released, arrived at the trauma center “with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.”
The teenager succumbed a short time later.
Martinez and Venecia were identified the same day as potential suspects, and detectives eventually obtained sufficient evidence to serve arrest warrants on each — Martinez on Airport Boulevard in Thermal Sunday afternoon, and Venecia near the intersection of Avenue 50 and Mazatlan Drive in Coachella Sunday night.
They were taken into custody without incident.
A possible motive for the slaying was not disclosed. Jail records did not reference gang allegations.
Background information on the pair also wasn’t available.