RivCo Robbery Suspect Attacked Victim, Arrested In Palm Desert One Week Later

PALM DESERT, CA — Riverside County Sheriff's Department Palm Desert Deputies arrested a suspect six days after a violent robbery, authorities say.

Just after 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the Palm Desert Special Enforcement Team located and apprehended Deandre Wayne McKneely, a 19-year-old man suspected of robbing and assaulting another with a deadly weapon in Palm Desert on March 26.

McKneely was being held at the John Benoit Detention Center and was expected to answer charges on Thursday at the Indio Larson Justice Center, according to jail records.

The robbery was reported just after 9:30 p.m. in the 72000 block of State Highway 111. Deputies found a victim, whose name was not revealed, who was assaulted and was taken to a hospital in stable condition, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities identified Deandre Wayne McKneely as the suspect, and he was located at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near the 72000 block of Country Club Drive, near Bob Hope Drive, in Rancho Mirage.

He was taken into custody without incident and was found in possession of the victim's property when he was apprehended, authorities said.

Bail information was not immediately available. It was unclear what McKneely allegedly stole and the circumstances behind the assault.

The investigation was ongoing.

Anyone with additional information on the robbery and assault was asked to call the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station at 760-836-1600.