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Eddie Zazueta Arrested for 2004 Murder of Daniel Medina in Riverside County
Eddie Zazueta Jr., a 40‑year‑old resident of Bermuda Dunes, California, was taken into custody in July 2026 on suspicion of murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel Medina in La Quinta on July 5, 2004. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Cold‑Case Unit reopened the case, identified Zazueta as a suspect and secured an arrest warrant. He was booked without incident at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and later transferred to the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, where he is being held without bail. Zazueta faces charges of murder, sentence‑enhancing gun violations and great bodily injury, and pleaded not guilty before Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Tucker.
The 2004 shooting occurred around 4:25 a.m. in the 52400 block of Avenida Obregón, where Medina was found with multiple gunshot wounds and later died at a Coachella Valley trauma center. The investigation involved the Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team. Authorities have not released a motive for the killing.
Entities
Daniel Medina · Eddie Zazueta Jr. · Elizabeth Tucker · Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team · Riverside County Sheriff's Department
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The killing occurred at approximately 4:25 a.m. on July 5, 2004 in the 52400 block of Avenida Obregón, La Quinta, Riverside County. laopinion.com · mynewsla.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Cold‑Case Unit reopened the investigation and gathered sufficient evidence to issue an arrest warrant. laopinion.com · mynewsla.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Eddie Zazueta was arrested in July 2026 for the 2004 murder of Daniel Medina. laopinion.com · mynewsla.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Zazueta was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility after his arrest. laopinion.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the 2004 killing. mynewsla.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The investigation involved the Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team. laopinion.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Zazueta is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. mynewsla.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Zazueta was charged with murder, sentence‑enhancing gun violations and great bodily injury, and pleaded not guilty before Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Tucker. laopinion.com · mynewsla.com