Michael Gordon, 40, was reported to the SBSD just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday for allegedly “beating a female and dragging her inside a residence in the 17800 block of Taylor Avenue,” officials said in a news release.

When deputies arrived, the door was open, and they “identified themselves and carefully entered the home under exigent circumstances,” officials added.

Inside, deputies spotted Gordon and a woman hiding under a blanket.

“Gordon was holding the female victim against her will and concealing a massive head injury,” the release said. “Gordon was also attempting to cover up a large amount of blood gushing from the back of her head.”

That woman was then rendered medical aid and taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for “a severe head wound and other serious injuries.” She remains hospitalized.

A witness informed deputies that Gordon had assaulted the woman earlier that morning as well, this time in front of a home in the 10100 block of Alder Avenue.

“She was struck in the back of the head with a metal pole which resulted in a serious head injury,” the release said. “Gordon was able to lure the female victim to the secondary location where he assaulted her again outside and eventually drug her inside the residence until deputies arrived.”

Inside the home, Gordon tried to cover up the wounds, forcing the woman to shower to wash away blood and hiding her blood-soaked clothing, investigators said.

Gordon was booked into the West Valley Detention Center. Jail records indicate he faces charges of aggravated mayhem, kidnapping, making threats with the intent to terrorize and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.

His bail is set at $1 million, and he’s due to appear in Rancho Superior Court on Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to call 909-356-6767.

To report information anonymously, call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or visit wetip.com.

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Adam Slater, 53, is charged with felony counts of murder, attempted murder, assault on a child under 8 years old resulting in death, assault with a deadly weapon and child concealing, and one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

He also faces a special circumstance allegation of committing a murder during the commission of a kidnapping, which makes him eligible for the death penalty if the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office decides to pursue it, and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a knife in the commission of a murder.

The defendant’s trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 24, according to case records.

Slater was arrested May 7, 2020 in connection with a spate of alleged crimes the previous day that culminated in a rollover crash on Highway 74 near Pinyon Crest, where he allegedly threw his daughter over “a steep cliff into a ravine,” according to sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez.

Slater remains jailed without bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facilty in Banning.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the series of events on May 6, 2020, began about 14 miles from the crash site in the 41000 block of Washington Street, outside the Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, where deputies responded to a stabbing call at about 8:30 a.m. that was described as a “domestic violence incident.”

Deputies located an injured woman who was taken to a hospital with multiple stab wounds.
Slater and the woman — who was six months pregnant at the time of the attack — were married, and the year-old daughter was theirs together, officials said.

Following the attack, Slater allegedly sped away in a vehicle with the child. Deputies learned soon afterward that a rollover crash reported on Highway 74 around six miles south of Palm Desert could be connected to the original call.

According to sheriff’s officials, passing motorists attempted to help Slater and his daughter escape the wreckage, but he allegedly stabbed one man attempting to help rescue his daughter.

“The suspect then took the girl from the arms of the male he stabbed. Multiple witnesses saw the suspect take the child and throw her over a steep cliff into a ravine,” according to a sheriff’s department statement.

California Highway Patrol Officer Graham Aanestad testified during a preliminary hearing that he searched the area at the bottom of the cliff and saw hair peaking out from a pile of rocks. The child was found there, and pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear if she was already dead prior to being thrown off the cliff. But Investigator Dario Hernandez with the sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit testified that an autopsy determined her cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the chest.

“The injuries to the chest were consistent with an injury possibly from a knife or some sort of object,” Hernandez said.

After allegedly throwing the girl, Slater ran down into a canyon, where deputies detained him after a short foot chase, and he was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries connected to the crash, authorities said. Slater was discharged from the hospital the next day and arrested shortly afterward.

It was unclear if the man he allegedly stabbed required medical treatment.

Slater was in violation of the terms of his parole, according to California’s Megan’s Law website.

He was convicted in 1995 of sexually penetrating a victim with a foreign object by force and served about two years in state prison before being released in 1997.

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File # MV240220041

Details:

On January 22, 2024, at 8:14 a.m., deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the 13000 block of Bearberry Drive regarding a male suspect armed with a knife, making threats toward family members. Upon the deputy’s arrival, the suspect, identified as Armando Martinez, a 24-year-old resident of Moreno Valley, barricaded himself inside the residence with a juvenile.

The Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station authored a search warrant for the residence. The Riverside Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau served the warrant, and Martinez was taken into custody without incident. The juvenile was located unharmed, and there were no reported injuries to family members. A search of the residence was conducted, and several evidentiary items were located.

Martinez was arrested and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and false imprisonment. This is an ongoing investigation, and no additional details are available.

Anyone with additional information regarding the investigation is urged to contact Deputy Ordway at Riverside County Sheriff’s dispatch at (951) 776-1099 or the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 486-6700.

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

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File: SW232710041

Details:

On September 28, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Southwest Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to a business in the 34000 Block of Calle Arnaz in the unincorporated area of Temecula, reference an armed robbery. Upon arrival, deputies learned the suspect was waiting outside of the business as employees were closing the store for the evening. The suspect pointed a handgun at the employees and forced one of them back into the office to empty money from the safe. The suspect made threats toward the employees during the encounter and fled the location on foot prior to deputies’ arrival.

The victims were able to provide a description of the suspect and direction of travel. Responding deputies checked the area along with Sheriff’s Aviation; however, the suspect was not located.

The Southwest Station’s Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team (RBST) assumed the investigation and began following all leads. RBST conducted an extensive canvass of the area during daytime hours and located evidence dropped on a nearby property. Through use of a Sheriff’s bloodhound, deputies were able to locate additional evidence dropped by the suspect. Utilizing investigative resources and evidence located, members of RBST positively identified the suspect as Irvin Banks, a 50-year old resident of Temecula. It was also learned Banks is on federal probation for robbery.

On October 26, 2023, Banks was located near the 44000 Block of Adam Lane, in the City of Temecula, where he was taken into custody without incident. RBST authored a search warrant for Banks’ vehicle and residence for additional evidence of the robbery. During the search, deputies located additional items of evidentiary value connecting Banks to the robbery.

Banks was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for kidnapping with the Intent to commit robbery, criminal threats, and assault with a deadly weapon, where he is being held on $1,000,000 bail. Anyone with additional information related to this case is encouraged to contact Investigator J. Andrews of the Southwest Station RBST Team at (951) 696-3000.

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

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File # MV232780054

Details:

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 7:16 a.m., deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of a kidnapping that occurred near the 12000 block of Frederick Street in the city of Moreno Valley. The investigation revealed a teenage girl had met an adult male near the location who coerced her to travel to the city of Gardena against her will. The victim was tracked to Gardena and police were notified. Officers from the Gardena Police Department responded to the location and rescued the victim. Officers were also able to locate and detain the suspect, identified as Chance Willis, a 42-year-old resident of Gardena. Investigators from the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station responded and assumed the investigation.

As a result of the investigation, Willis was arrested for kidnapping and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in lieu of $250,000 bail.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator Allen of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at 951–486–6700.

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

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File # MV232100023

Details:

On Saturday, July 29, 2023, Deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff Station (MVSS) received calls from a victim’s family stating a female resident of Moreno Valley was taken against her will from the 13000 block of Elsworth Avenue, in the City of Moreno Valley. Deputies from the MVSS responded and located her vehicle with the victim and the suspect, Johnny Melvin Monroe, inside. Investigators from the MVSS responded and assumed the investigation. ;The victim stated she previously was involved in a relationship with Monroe, but had made it clear she was no longer interested in him. The suspect had been previously arrested at the victim’s residence on multiple incidents but continued to seek out the victim.

During this incident, Monroe went to the victim’s residence and forced her into her vehicle, and drove away against her will. Monroe was booked for stalking and kidnapping.

This is an ongoing investigation. Investigators are seeking additional witnesses to this incident. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator McCracken at the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station (951) 486-6700.

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

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File # MV231230229

Details:

On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, Riverside County Sheriff’s Investigators assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Inland Violent Crime Suppression Task Force (FBI/IVCSTF) located a fugitive, Larry Lightning, a 43-year-old resident of Perris, visiting a house in Moreno Valley. IVCSTF investigators requested the assistance of the Moreno Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET) to apprehend Lightning, who they believed to be armed and dangerous.

The SET team and IVCSTF attempted to talk Lightning out of the house, but he refused to speak to them. Moreno Valley SET requested the Riverside Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau respond to assistance. The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau arrived at the scene and convinced Lightning to surrender. Lightning was later booked on his outstanding felony warrants for armed robbery and kidnapping.

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

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BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A man who admitted to purchasing firearms that he knew would be going from the U.S. to a Mexican drug cartel has been arrested in Texas after the discovery that one of the weapons was linked to the deadly kidnapping of four Americans, according federal court records.

Roberto Lugardo Moreno made an initial appearance Monday at a federal court in Brownsville and was appointed a public defender, who did not immediately respond to a voicemail seeking comment. His detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The kidnapping occurred in Matamoros, Mexico, which is located just across the border from Brownsville.

According to a federal complaint filed Saturday, Moreno has been charged with conspiring to illegally export a firearm. The complaint said that he admitted to buying firearms for people he knew were going to provide them to a member of the Gulf Cartel in Mexico.

The serial number of a firearm he purchased in October 2019 matched that of a gun recovered by authorities that was linked to the March 3 kidnappings, according to the complaint. Moreno said he didn’t apply for a license to export the firearm from the U.S. to Mexico, and knew it would be illegally exported, the complaint said.

Moreno told authorities that he received $100 for the purchase of the guns.

Four friends who were traveling to Mexico so one member of the party could have cosmetic surgery were caught up in a drug cartel shootout in Matamoros. After a vehicle crashed into their van, men in tactical vests with assault rifles arrived in another vehicle and surrounded them.

Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown appeared to have been killed immediately and their bodies were loaded into a truck with the two survivors, Eric Williams and Latavia McGee. The bodies and the two living friends were found days later in a shack.

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File # C222510035

Details:

On September 8, 2022, at 7:46 PM, Thermal Station patrol deputies were flagged down in the 91000 block of 5th Street in Mecca, reference a 42-year-old female who was kidnapped, beaten, strangled with a belt, and held against her will for over eight hours. The victim sustained moderate injuries and was treated and released from a local hospital. During the investigation, the suspect was positively identified as Daniel Gamez Zaragoza, a 39-year-old resident of Thermal.

On September 11, 2022, at 3:11 AM, Zaragoza was located at his residence in the 69300 block of Peirce Street in Thermal. Zaragoza was taken into custody without incident with the assistance of a Riverside County Sheriff’s Service Dog. Zaragoza was booked at the John Benoit Detention Center for attempted murder, kidnapping, domestic assault, and false imprisonment.

The Thermal Sheriff’s Station is asking anyone with additional information to contact Deputy Espinoza at the Thermal Sheriff’s Station by calling (760) 863-8990. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Valley Crimestoppers at (760) 341-7867.

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

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File # Y220430013

Details:

On March 14, 2022, at 7:00 A.M., deputies assigned to the Coachella Community Action Team (CCAT), with the assistance of the Southern Coachella Valley Community Service District Team (SCVCSDT), served a search warrant at a residence located in the 65-900 block of Flora Avenue in the city of Desert Hot Springs. The search warrant stemmed from a robbery / kidnapping incident which occurred in the city of Coachella on February 12, 2022. During the search warrant, two non-serialized 9mm handguns, commonly referred to as “ghost guns”, were located and seized along with evidence of the robbery.

Documented gang member Ezeqiel Torres, 18-years-old, resident of Desert Hot Springs, was arrested for robbery, kidnapping, and possession of a non-serialized firearm. Also arrested was a 17-year-old male juvenile for possession of a non-serialized firearm, and juvenile in possession of a firearm and a 16-year-old female juvenile for possession of a non-serialized firearm, possession of a firearm with a threaded barrel, and juvenile in possession of a firearm. Torres was booked at the John Benoit Detention Center in the city of Indio and both juveniles were booked at the Juvenile Hall in the city of Indio.

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

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