Abelardo Zuniga, 21, and his 18-year-old brother Cesar CJ Zuniga were found dead in a burned vehicle on an unpaved service road in the Indio desert on December 2, 2022. Their mother, Laura Zuniga, discovered the brothers after they failed to answer calls and texts overnight. The brothers were described as inseparable; Abelardo was remembered for a cheerful, joking nature while Cesar enjoyed dancing, singing and playing guitar.

Indio resident Luis Alonzo Armenta, 21, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder, arson and related special circumstances. Armenta has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. The Indio Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau are handling the investigation, and the family has set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs.

Did anyone in the Coachella Valley community know the Zuniga brothers or have information about their final movements?