Leondra Malone, 22, of Desert Hot Springs was fatally shot in the head shortly after midnight on January 1, 2015, in the 66-190 block of Calle Las Tiendas. He was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs but died soon after arrival. Desert Hot Springs police responded to multiple calls reporting gunshots in the area.

Authorities arrested 19-year-old Dominick Torres of Desert Hot Springs on suspicion of homicide; officers located him in the 13-100 block of Ocotillo Road and booked him into the Riverside County Jail in Banning. The firearm used in the shooting was not recovered. Police interviewed witnesses and collected forensic evidence and requested additional tips from the public.

This was the community’s first homicide of the year and raised concerns about gun violence locally. If anyone has information about the events that night or the shooting, please share what is known with investigators.