Suspect Dead In RivCo Triple Homicide, Female Being Questioned

RIVERSIDE, CA — Multiple agencies continued Saturday to investigate a Riverside County triple homicide that led to a suspect's killing in Needles as a memorial began to grow outside the quiet Southern California home where three people died.

Investigators worked through the night piecing together details that span at least two California counties. What is known is that two women and one man found dead late Friday morning inside a burning home in Riverside's 11000 block of Price Court were homicide victims, Riverside Police Department spokesperson Ryan Railsback confirmed.

By Saturday afternoon, candles and flowers were placed on the home's driveway just beneath the yellow caution tape that surrounded the residence and three vehicles. The smell of smoke lingered in the air around the scorched home.

"My beautiful neighbors/friends," a note left outside the house read. "I will miss you ALWAYS... Love you forever."

A suspect in the slayings was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in Needles by San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies, said Gloria Huerta, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

"I can confirm our lethal force encounter in Needles yesterday is in fact connected to the Riverside PD case," Huerta said Saturday morning.

The man, who was not identified, is the "primary suspect" in the Riverside slayings, Railsback said Saturday. No other suspects are sought.

It was not clear how the suspect was tracked down to the remote desert city that's more than 200 miles from the crime scene. His identity, age and city of residence were not released.

Authorities also confirmed that a female who was with the suspect is safe, but her connection to the Riverside crime scene was not disclosed by authorities.

"This is a multi-agency investigation and it’s taking time to sort through and confirm all the details," Huerta said Saturday morning. More information was expected to be released later in the day, she said.

Railsback said late Friday night that the female's possible connection to the triple slayings was still being determined and that she was being questioned by investigators at a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department station.

"It's not clear whether she is a victim, a witness or a suspect," he said.

The female's age was not being released, Railsback said Friday night.

Friday's events unfolded between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. when a call for service was received by police about a possible disturbance between a male and female at a residence in the 11000 block of Price Court. Shortly after, more calls came in about a fire at the home, Railsback said.

When first responders arrived, they found smoke coming from the residence and the three deceased victims, according to Railsback. A motive and information about how they died were not released.

According to a report from The Press-Enterprise, the victims were found together in a room where the fire was burning. Witnesses reported that before first responders arrived at the home, a male and female were seen getting into a vehicle and driving away, according to the news outlet.

A neighbor told Patch on Saturday that as he saw the victims being taken out of the house, their hands appeared to be bound behind their backs and their faces were at least partially covered.

Police said additional details related to the case are expected to be released in the coming days.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.