A 32-year-old man accused of gunning down two people in a Palm Desert home was charged Friday with two counts of first-degree murder, among other offenses.
Frank Scott Castro III was arrested Wednesday afternoon for allegedly slaying the two people in the 43000 block of West Calle Las Brisas, just east of Warner Trail.
The identities of the two victims have not been released.
Along with the murder counts, Castro is charged with a special circumstance allegation of perpetrating multiple killings, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
Castro is being held without bail at the Indio Jail, is slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a report of shots being fired at the house on Calle Las Brisas shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Thurm said Castro was standing at the front of the property and taken into custody without a struggle. The patrolmen searched inside the house and found the two gunshot victims, both of whom were pronounced dead at the scene.
Castro has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
A motive for the attack was not disclosed.
Central Homicide Unit detectives took over the investigation and are asking anyone with information to contact the unit at 951-955-2777.
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