Benjamin Cabrera Briones, 62, of Thousand Palms is charged with first-degree murder, burglary, forgery and special circumstance allegations of killing in the course of a robbery and murder for financial gain in the 2021 death of Jean Grace Willrich.

In her opening statement at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Wednesday, Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Hawlee Valente told jurors that Briones attempted to keep from getting caught after Willrich’s death.

Valente said Briones wore latex gloves in the hours following the murder, including when he deposited the victim’s check at an ATM outside an Albertson’s supermarket in Palm Desert.

The gloves were “found in his work truck, marked with his company logo, Briones’ Pools,” the prosecutor said.

She said that after a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence, shoes, pants and other items of evidentiary value were seized. A notepad bearing names and addresses was also located, and “Willrich’s name and address were the only ones crossed out,” the deputy district attorney said.

Briones’ deputy public defender elected not to make an opening statement.

Willrich was killed on the afternoon of Nov. 29, 2021.

According to earlier statements by a pool serviceman hired by the victim after she fired Briones over a compensation dispute several years before, the witness went to the property on Nov. 30 and found things askew, including windows with blinds wide open and a hose running, causing an overflow on the east side of the house. He became concerned and attempted to make contact with Willrich unsuccessfully.

A concerned friend, Patricia McDonald, went to the house in the 77000 block of Michigan Drive and used a spare key to enter, finding the victim “laying in a puddle of dried blood, her face swollen,” according to trial testimony.

“She was cold to the touch,” McDonald said.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Cryder testified that after he was called to the property, he initially thought the victim might have been injured accidentally, but on further examination realized it “was a suspicious death.”

The defendant went to Willrich’s property on Nov. 29, 2021, ostensibly to see if he could repair one of her toilets. Sheriff’s Investigator Gustavo Castaneda said detectives later learned from interviews with Briones he never intended to provide a service, but rather wanted to commit theft.

“Mr. Briones stated Ms. Willrich let him in and eventually, when he started looking around, a confrontation started, and that’s when he proceeded to assault her,” Castaneda testified during a 2023 preliminary hearing. “Mr. Briones explained to us how he punched her, choked her and eventually got on top of her. He continued to punch her, hit her with both open and closed fists because she wouldn’t stop screaming. When she stopped moving, he got up, grabbed (her) checks and left.”

Detectives soon confirmed that property had been taken, and that one of Willrich’s checks had been deposited at the Albertson’s ATM.

Security surveillance video images were examined, and authorities identified Briones as the person who cashed the check, Castaneda said, adding that security videotape from homes around the victim’s property showed that on Nov. 29, the defendant had parked there, gone inside and returned to his pickup a short time later.

Briones was arrested without incident on Dec. 3, 2021, during a traffic stop near Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra drives in Rancho Mirage.

He has no documented prior felony convictions recorded in Riverside County and is being held without bail at the Benoit Detention Center.

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BANNING, CA — A 98-year-old Banning man who was attacked and killed inside his home last month was formally identified Tuesday as Earnest Collins.

“Mr. Collins was a long-time Banning resident, who was known and loved by several people in his community,” Banning police said.

Collins was found unresponsive around 2:38 p.m. April 19 at his home in the 500 block of N. Allen Street. No arrests have been announced in the case and police say they are looking for tips.

“We thank the public for their assistance in bringing justice to Mr. Collins, his family, and friends,” the Banning Police Department said.

According to an obituary for Collins, he was born on Jan. 5, 1926, in Foreman, Arkansas, to Clay Collins Sr. and Caroline Johnson Collins.

He went on to be drafted by the U.S. Army in 1946 and received an honorable discharge. He married his first wife, Vera Odessa Collins, and together they had three children: Allen James Collins, Johnnie Earl Collins, and Jimmy Ray Collins, the obituary states.

From 1959 to 1979, Collins worked at a cotton mill in Calipatria.

“He was such a great people person that he quickly advanced to night shift foreman,” according to the obituary.

Following his retirement from the mill, Collins married his second wife, Lucille Sullivan.

Collins was preceded in death by both of his wives and two of his sons, Allen James and Jimmy Ray.

He is survived by sons Johnnie Earl of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Bobbie Lee Collins of Phoenix, Arizona, and eight grandchildren — Jason Anthony Collins, Michelle Lavette Collins, Dione Lamar Collins, Datrice Lanette Collins, Deandra Renae Collins, Dorian Ray Collins, Allen James Collins, Jr. and Lorraine Denise Collins — several great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to contact the Banning Police Detective Bureau at 951-922-3170.

The post Beloved 98-Year-Old RivCo Man Killed In His Home, Police Seek Tips appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

File # EV232190025

Details:

On August 7, 2023, deputies assigned to the city of Eastvale Special Enforcement Team (SET) responded to the parking lot of a business located in the 5000 block of Hamner Avenue, in Eastvale, to investigate a robbery. Deputies learned two suspects, later identified as Petre Alexandru, a 27- year-old resident of Romania and Gratiela Stoian, a 22-year-old resident of Romania, lured an elderly victim toward them to have a conversation. During the interaction, the suspects distracted the victim and robbed him of jewelry he was wearing. The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle.

Through several investigative means, SET deputies learned the couple was responsible for a similar incident in Vancouver, Canada. Deputies identified both suspects and the vehicle used in the crime. Deputies coordinated an apprehension of the suspects with the Palm Springs Police Department. Both suspects were ultimately arrested in the city of Palm Springs. A search of the vehicle resulted in the finding of multiple necklaces, rings, watches and bracelets possibly belonging to other unidentified victims.

Both Alexandru and Stoian were subsequently transported and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for robbery, elder abuse, and conspiracy to commit a crime. Alexandru and Stoian are currently pending a $500,000.00 bail.

It is believed these suspects have been involved in similar incidents. Anyone with information on this case or who may have been a victim to these suspects is encouraged to call Deputy Morris at the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station by calling 951-955-6006.

As a reminder, “Community Policing” involves partnerships between law enforcement and community members. Business owners and residents are encouraged to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement by calling Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776-1099, or by calling 911 if the matter is an emergency. Criminal activity can also be reported through the We-Tip Crime Reporting Hotline, (909) 987-5005.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

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