Two Coachella Valley residents were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting last year of a 17-year-old girl in the community of Mecca, authorities said Friday.
Christopher Balderrama, 18, of Thermal, was booked into the Benoit Detention Center on suspicion of murder, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. A 17-year-old Mecca boy was booked into Indio Juvenile Hall, also on suspicion of murder.
Bail information for both suspects was not immediately available.
The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. March 25, 2025, in the 91800 block of Avenue 66, according to the sheriff’s department. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name was not released due to her age.
Following an extensive investigation, Balderrama was arrested March 19 in Thermal, and the teenager was arrested Thursday in Mecca. The circumstances behind the shooting were not specified, and it was unclear what led investigators to the suspects.
Anyone with additional information regarding the shooting was asked to call 951-955-2777.
so protecting a DEAD persons identity, got it.