Murrieta Pair Snared In Weapons, Drugs Investigation: Police

MURRIETA, CA — A man and woman who allegedly kept a cache of illegal weapons and drugs in a storage locker and at a home in Murrieta were arrested by a gang task force earlier this month, but both have been released from custody with a pending court date.

Richard Dennis Murphy, 36, and Lisa Marie Wehus, 34, were arrested the afternoon of May 20 at Birchtree Drive near Magnum Lane. The location is around the corner from a home in the 40000 block of Pearl Drive where sheriff's investigators working with Murrieta police served a search warrant connected to the investigation, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported.

The residential search turned up a short-barrel rifle, high-capacity magazine, ammunition, gun parts, over a half-pound of fentanyl, over one thousand M-30 pills, as well as several ounces of combined heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, according to the department.

The search followed one on April 26 at a public storage locker in the 24900 block of Whitewood Road where an AK-47 assault-style rifle, large-capacity magazines and ammunition were found, according to the sheriff's department. The Pearl Drive residence and the public storage locker were tied to the investigation, the department said.

Murphy and Wehus were released from custody May 21 in lieu of $100,000 bail each, jail and court records show.

The two have denied all charges and have a pending July 13 court date. Both have a criminal history in the county, according to court records.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact Deputy T. Tully at 951-461-6344.