On the evening of March 24, 2026, in the unincorporated Riverside County community of Mecca, the life of 18-year-old Anjel Rodriguez of Thermal was tragically cut short. At approximately 7:58 p.m., deputies from the Thermal Sheriff's Station were dispatched to the intersection of Coahuilla Street and 6th Street following a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon their arrival, they discovered Rodriguez suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation was quickly taken over by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office - Central Homicide Unit. In the days that followed, homicide investigators worked to identify those responsible for Rodriguez's death. Their efforts led them to three suspects, all residents of Mecca. On April 1, 2026, with the assistance of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office Gang Impact Team and the Riverside County Gang Task Force, authorities arrested 20-year-old Daniel Molina and a 17-year-old male juvenile in Mecca. A third suspect, a 16-year-old male juvenile, was located in Indio and also taken into custody without incident.
Following the arrests, Daniel Molina was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center on a charge of murder. The two juvenile suspects were booked into Juvenile Hall on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, causing great bodily injury. While the initial phase of the investigation led to these arrests, authorities have stated that the investigation remains ongoing.
