Possible RivCo Quadruple Homicide: Coroner IDs Victims

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The Riverside County Coroner's Office has released the names of all four victims in what investigators believe are two related homicide scenes from Sunday in Palm Springs.

Jacob Montgomery, 19, Juan Duarte Raya, 18, and Yuliana Garcia, 17, were found dead inside a vehicle following a traffic crash Sunday night at Sunny Dunes and El Placer roads, according to the coroner's office. Police said all three had been shot.

The identity of the fourth victim, 25-year-old Carlos Campos Rivera, was revealed early Friday by the coroner's office. Rivera was found shot to death about 35 minutes later on Canon Drive south of Theresa Drive.

The identities of the three victims found inside the vehicle were unofficially released by family members Thursday through online fundraising efforts.

Montgomery's mother, Dana Beauchemin, set up a GoFundMe page, saying donations "will go to help pay for funeral expenses." KESQ reported that the first person to find out about Montgomery's death was his grandmother, with whom he lived in Cathedral City.

Duarte Raya's aunt, Patricia Mendoza, confirmed to The Desert Sun she created a GoFundMe page, saying "her sister and Duarte Raya's mother had lost another son four years ago of brain cancer at age 15."

"I want to raise money to help my sister out, she has gone through so much," Mendoza wrote on the page.

A similar fundraiser was established on Facebook for Garcia by a family friend, The Desert Sun reported.

"She was only 17 years old, just a teen full of life who didn't deserve this!" a quote on the fundraising page said. "She left behind her family and friends who love her dearly."

Mendoza told The Desert Sun all four victims were friends in middle and high school.

A man previously dubbed a person of interest in the weekend killings was charged Thursday with four counts of capital murder.

Jose Larin-Garcia, 19, of Cathedral City, was arrested around 8 p.m. Monday at the Greyhound bus station at 83100 Indio Blvd. on suspicion of unknown charges unrelated to the four deaths, according to Palm Springs police and jail records.

Without initially releasing his name, Palm Springs dubbed him a person of interest in the killings.

Larin-Garcia pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. The charges include the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, opening Larin- Garcia to a possible death sentence.

He is due back in court Feb. 20.

Palm Springs police have not released a possible motive for the crimes.

— By City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone