Suspects Plea To Felony Charges For Body Found in Burning Vehicle in Thermal

INDIO (CNS) – Three suspects arrested in the death of a man found inside a burning vehicle in Thermal pleaded not guilty to felony charges Friday.

Hector Ramiro Yamanaka, 44, of Coachella, was charged with felony counts of murder, arson on property and having a fire explosive, along with a misdemeanor count of violating a domestic violence court order.

Ireneo Dominguez Lagunes, 56, was charged with committing arson on a property, having a fire explosive and being an accessory aid.

Daisy Cabrera Gil, 34, also of Coachella, was charged with being an accessory to the crime.

The three suspects pleaded not guilty to all charges Friday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

The charges stem from the death of Jesus M. Hernandez, 35, whose body was found around 2 a.m. July 14 inside a burning car in the 83000 block of Avenue 60.

Yamanaka was arrested July 29 near Mountain Drive and was being held without bail at the Southwest Detention Center, according to inmate records.

Gil was arrested around the same time that day near Mazatlan Drive and was being held on $500,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility.

Lagunes was arrested Monday at noon near Valencia Lane and was being held on $1 million bail.

There was no immediate word on a possible motive for the crime, which was discovered when firefighters responded to douse the car fire.

Anyone with information about the death was urged to contact Investigator Loureiro of the sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777 or Investigator Glasper of the sheriff’s Thermal Station at 760-863-8990.

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