Two Corona Residents Ordered to Stand Trial in Home Gardens Gang Killing in Riverside County
A gang-related killing in Home Gardens, an unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, moved forward this week: Hector Saldana, 48, and Rachel Denise Arredondo, 43, both of Corona, were ordered to stand trial in the shooting death of 47-year-old Corona resident Carlos Villa. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jerry Yang issued the ruling on Thursday, October 22, at the end of a preliminary hearing.
The judge found sufficient evidence to hold Saldana for trial on first-degree murder, with special-circumstance allegations of lying in wait and killing for the benefit of a criminal street gang, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations. The pair were arrested in June following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation.
As to Arredondo, the judge dismissed the murder charge previously filed against her and ruled there was insufficient evidence to try her on the special-circumstance allegations. He did find grounds for her to face charges of assault resulting in great bodily injury and criminal street gang activity.
According to City News Service, prosecutors characterize the slaying as a premeditated gang-related attack. Future court dates are to be scheduled.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于加州 Riverside 的上诉法院大楼（Coolcaesar 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons）
