Cold case homicide detectives Thursday turned to the public for help solving the 2002 murder of a 27-year-old motorist who was shot while trying to flee a party melee in La Quinta.
Hernan Marquez of Indio was fatally wounded as he left a residence in the 52200 block of Avenida Mendoza, near Calle Sonora, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The agency published a “public assistance needed” notice via its web portal and social media channels, saying that despite investigative efforts going back to the date of the attack — Aug. 11, 2002 — no clues had surfaced that might confirm the identity of Marquez’s killer. The case has long since gone cold.
The victim was among an unspecified number of people partying at a residence in the predawn hours when “an altercation occurred,” sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop said.
“During the incident, as Marquez was leaving the location, he was shot by an unknown individual,” Bishop said. “Marquez then drove away from the area at a high rate of speed, eventually losing control of his vehicle and colliding with several parked vehicles.”
The victim died at the scene. No one else was hurt.
“As part of the sheriff’s office’s ongoing effort to review unsolved homicide cases, investigators from the Central Homicide Unit recently re-examined the case,” Bishop said. “Through this review, investigators identified several potential leads … (and) the case was officially reopened.”
The sergeant said that the intent is “to provide justice for Marquez and closure for his family.”
Anyone who may have details that could assist the cold case team was urged to contact the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.