Published on Friday, August 15, 2008
By The Press-Enterprise
A man charged with a 2001 shooting in a Thermal mobile home park has been returned to Indio to face murder charges.
Ezequiel Bojorquez Espinoza, 29, was returned to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Monday after he was extradited from Mexico, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said.
Espinoza is charged with the murder of Jaime Soto and the attempted murder of Israel Espinoza on July 5, 2001 in the Lawson Trailer Park, according to a sheriff's report and court records. Police said the two men were shot several times while sitting in a vehicle.
At the time, authorities were searching for Espinoza who went into hiding in Central California where he was employed in the grape industry or to Mexico.
Mexican federal authorities arrested Espinoza last April and notified U.S. Marshalls and sheriff's detectives.
Espinoza is being held without bail at the Indio jail. He pleaded not guilty Thursday.
