One of two teens suspected of killing La Quinta high school senior released on bail


One of the two teenagers charged in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old La Quinta High School senior was released on bail.

Elijah Alfredo Martinez, an 18-year-old Bermuda Dunes resident, posted his $100,000 bail on Wednesday, jail records show. Martinez and Dominick Cruz Venecia, an 18-year-old Coachella resident, were both charged with murder and sentence-enhancing gun use allegations on May 22 for the fatal shooting of Jaden Ramos. They both pleaded not guilty.

Venecia is still in custody, and his bail is set at $1 million, according to jail records. His is now scheduled to appear in court on July 1 for bail review.

Martinez was also in court Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether or not he’ll have to wear a GPS monitoring device.

The two 18-year-olds are accused of killing Ramos during a post-prom house party on May 19 — a day before his 18th birthday. Ramos was going to graduate high school just a few days after the shooting. His high school honored him by leaving an empty chair with his senior portrait on it at the graduation ceremony.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to the 79-000 block of Paseo Del Rey in La Quinta for a reported shooting around 2:36 a.m. on May 19. They were told during their search that Ramos was at a local hospital with an apparent gunshot wound, which is where he would later be pronounced dead.

Investigators soon identified Martinez and Venecia as suspects. They were booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio and scheduled for their initial court appearances on May 22, which is the day they were charged with murder.

Martinez and Venecia are scheduled to next appear at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on July 1, jail records show.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Teen suspected in killing of La Quinta High senior released on bail

Signup bonus from $125 to $3000 | Signup now Football & Online Casino

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

You Might Also Like: