Luis Pinedo, aged 34, was found dead on July 18, 2020, in Thermal, California. His body was discovered inside a burning vehicle near Avenue 57 and Pierce Street. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department responded to a vehicle fire call around 1:40 a.m. that day. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, they found Pinedo's charred body inside the vehicle. The Riverside County Coroner's Office used dental records to confirm his identity. The initial investigation deemed the death suspicious, and it was later classified as a homicide after the coroner's office found evidence of "homicidal violence" during the post-mortem examination.
Further investigation revealed that Pinedo had sustained a single gunshot wound to the left side of his head, indicating he was likely dead before the vehicle was set on fire. Arson investigators determined that a flammable liquid had been poured on the asphalt, leading to the vehicle, which suggested deliberate arson. The case remained unsolved for some time, with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department urging anyone with information to come forward.
In July 2023, Ruben Corria Esquivel Jr., a 34-year-old man from Coachella, was identified as the suspect in Pinedo's murder. Esquivel was already in custody for a separate murder case involving the February 2020 shooting of a 42-year-old man in Indio. He faced multiple charges, including murder, arson, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and other related offenses. Esquivel was linked to Pinedo's death through interviews, phone analysis, call records, and social media records. He was found with severe burns on his chest, face, and arm the morning after Pinedo's murder, and his phone contained photos of his burned face and searches related to burned vehicles and homicides in Riverside County.
Esquivel's arrest marked a significant development in the case, but the investigation into Pinedo's death continued. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Central Homicide Unit remained involved, seeking additional information and evidence to build a stronger case against Esquivel. The legal proceedings were ongoing, with Esquivel awaiting trial for both the February 2020 murder and Pinedo's murder. The community and law enforcement hoped for justice for Luis Pinedo and closure for his family.
