After 66-Year-Old Shopper Gunned Down At Cabazon Mall, Suspect Charged

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA — An 18-year-old accused of gunning down a 66-year-old shopper at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon during an attempted holdup was charged Monday with murder and other offenses.

Reginald Charles Trice of Victorville was arrested Thursday following a nearly monthlong investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department into the slaying of Michael Moser of Palm Springs.

Along with murder, Trice is charged with attempted robbery and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Trice made his initial court appearance before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for May 9 at the Banning Justice Center.

Singerton also ordered that Trice be held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Ben Ramirez, Trice allegedly confronted Moser shortly before 7 p.m. on March 24 in the 48600 block of Seminole Drive, though the specific location within the mall wasn't disclosed.

Ramirez said Moser was shot at least once, prompting calls to 911, after which deputies and paramedics converged on the location.

Life-saving measures were tried, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear why Moser was targeted, and investigators did not disclose whether he put up a struggle during the robbery.

There was no sign of the shooter when deputies reached the mall. However, Ramirez said that over the ensuing weeks, detectives developed leads pointing to Trice as the alleged assailant.

A warrant was obtained and served at Trice's residence in the 15500 block of Morada Road Thursday morning, according to Ramirez.

Trice was taken into custody without incident.

Trice has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.