On September 29, 2023, 65-year-old Steven Michael Fineran was fatally shot in his residence on Alexander Street in Mead Valley, an unincorporated area of Perris, California. Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at approximately 6:09 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Fineran deceased inside the home with a gunshot wound.
The investigation led authorities to arrest Fineran's girlfriend, 67-year-old Dani Susan Runyan, who was present at the scene. She was taken into custody without incident and booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center on charges of murder. Runyan has no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions in Riverside County.
Fineran was born on August 20, 1958, in Denison, Iowa. He graduated from Denison High School in 1976 and served honorably in the United States Marine Corps for four years. After his military service, he pursued a career as a truck driver, traveling across the United States, and continued to farm his family's land alongside his brother and nephews. He was known for his love of the land, gardening, and making memories with friends and family.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has not disclosed further details regarding the motive behind the shooting, stating that the investigation is ongoing. Authorities encourage anyone with information about the incident to contact Investigator Newby from the Perris Sheriff's Station at (951) 210-1000 or Central Homicide Investigator Deanne at (951) 955-1700.
