LOS ANGELES, CA – More than two decades after a 17-year-old Indio boy was shot and killed in Riverside County, investigators have arrested a suspect in the long-unsolved homicide, authorities said.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Eddie Zazueta, 40, of Bermuda Dunes.
Zazueta was arrested on July 24 on suspicion of murder in connection with the 2004 killing of Daniel Medina, according to investigators.
The case began on July 5, 2004, when deputies responded around 4:26 a.m. to reports of a shooting in the 52400 block of Avenida Obregon in La Quinta.
When deputies arrived, they found Medina suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The teen was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
Detectives with the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit took over the investigation and identified a person of interest early in the case. Authorities said, however, that there was not enough evidence at the time to make an arrest, and the investigation eventually went cold.
Information reviewed by Street People indicates the case was recently reopened as part of the Sheriff’s Office’s ongoing review of unsolved homicide cases.
During the renewed investigation, detectives developed new leads and conducted additional follow-up work that led to the collection of more evidence, authorities said.
Investigators ultimately identified Zazueta as the suspect in Medina’s killing.
With assistance from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team, Zazueta was taken into custody without incident on July 24. He was later booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on a murder charge.
Authorities have not released a possible motive, and additional details about what new evidence led to the arrest have not been made public.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Master Investigator Robertson or Deputy Lucifora at 951-955-2777.
