Cesar CJ Zuniga was 18 when he and his older brother Abelardo were found dead in a burned vehicle on an unpaved service road in the Indio desert on December 2, 2022. Local police located the car after responding to reports of a fire. Family described the brothers as inseparable and said they did everything together from a young age.

Authorities arrested 21-year-old Luis Alonzo Armenta of Indio and charged him with two counts of murder, arson, two counts of discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury, and related special-circumstance allegations. Armenta pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Investigators have said something developed between Armenta and the Zuniga brothers but have not disclosed a clear motive.

Anyone with information about Cesar CJ Zuniga, Abelardo, or the events that led to their deaths is urged to contact investigators.