Brianna Chavez, 30, of Los Angeles, was found dead in open desert near Mission Creek Road and Worsley Road in Desert Hot Springs on the evening of Sunday, March 15, 2026. Responding officers arrived about 5:15 p.m. and determined Chavez had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. Detectives later concluded she had been killed earlier that day, at about 1:30 p.m., and reclassified the inquiry as a homicide.

Investigators identified 29-year-old Aaron Espinoza of Desert Hot Springs as a suspect and, with assistance from several law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Gang Impact Team, located him near the U.S.-Mexico border. On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Espinoza was taken into custody in San Luis, Arizona. The Riverside County District Attorney’s office subsequently filed charges including first-degree murder, child endangerment, and being a felon in possession of a firearm; he is being held without bail and is awaiting extradition to Riverside County.

Authorities have not released a motive or described the relationship between Chavez and Espinoza. The investigation remains ongoing; anyone with information is asked to contact the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.