While the Palm Springs metro area (Coachella Valley) is generally a safe tourist destination, it has been the site of several high-profile criminal cases over the decades. Defining “notable” involves cases that garnered significant media attention, had a profound impact on the community, or were historically significant.

Here are seven of the most notable crimes in the Palm Springs metro area, with a summary for each.

1. The Murder of Palm Springs Police Officers Lesley Zerebny and Jose “Gil” Vega

• Date: October 8, 2016

• Summary: In one of the darkest days for the city, two Palm Springs Police Department officers were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call. Officer Lesley Zerebny, a 27-year-old new mother, and Veteran Officer Jose “Gil” Vega, 63, who was days from retirement, were fatally shot through the front door by John Felix, who was barricaded inside the home. The incident led to a prolonged standoff. The murders sent shockwaves through the community, resulting in an enormous public outpouring of grief and support. Felix was convicted and sentenced to death in 2019.

2. The Billionaire Murders (Barry and Honey Sherman)

• Date: December 13, 2017 (discovered)

• Summary: Although the victims were from Toronto, Canada, their connection to Palm Desert made it a major local story. Apotax billionaire Barry Sherman and his wife, Honey, were found dead in their Toronto home. Initially treated as a murder-suicide, an investigation later concluded they were victims of a targeted double murder. The case gained notoriety because the Shermans owned a winter home in Palm Desert, and there was initial speculation about a possible connection to the Coachella Valley. The case remains unsolved and is one of Canada’s most high-profile murder mysteries.

3. The Kidnapping and Murder of Anthony Martinez

• Date: April 1997

• Summary: Ten-year-old Anthony Martinez was abducted by a stranger in broad daylight from his front yard in Beaumont (within the greater metro area). His disappearance triggered a massive multi-state search. His body was found weeks later in a remote area. The prime suspect, convicted sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III, was not formally charged until years later after he committed a horrific series of crimes in Idaho. Duncan, a serial killer, eventually confessed to Martinez’s murder. The case profoundly changed the sense of security for many families in the region.

4. The “Palm Springs Serial Killer” Case (William Bradford)

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  **Date:** 1970s - 1990s (arrest in 2014)

• Summary: This case involves a series of cold-case murders that were finally linked to one man. William Bradford, a photographer, was investigated for the murders of several women who had posed for his “models wanted” ads. While only charged with two murders (of Tracey Hobson in 2005 and of a woman in San Bernardino County), he was a prime suspect in at least six other deaths dating back to the 1970s. His arrest shed light on a potential long-term serial predator operating in the area, with many of his victims’ cases having gone cold for decades.

5. The Murder of Ronald “Ron” Barboa

• Date: August 2006

• Summary: This case stands out for its sheer brutality and the youth of the perpetrators. Ronald Barboa, a 58-year-old developmentally disabled man, was lured from his Palm Springs home by a group of ten teenagers. He was brutally beaten, stabbed, and run over with his own car. The motive was reportedly robbery and thrill-seeking. The extreme violence of the crime, coupled with the number of young people involved, horrified the community. Multiple defendants were tried as adults and received lengthy prison sentences.

6. The Cathedral City “Boy in the Box” Case

• Date: March 13, 2018 (discovered)

• Summary: The body of a young boy, estimated to be 3-5 years old, was found stuffed inside a plastic storage container and abandoned in a remote area of Cathedral City. He was wrapped in a blanket and had no immediate identifying marks. Dubbed “John Cathedral City Doe” or the “Boy in the Box,” his identity and the circumstances of his death remain a mystery. The case garnered national attention and remains an active and heartbreaking cold case for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

7. The Palm Springs Corruption Case (The “Vote Selling” Scandal)

• Date: 2019 (FBI raids and arrests)

• Summary: While not a violent crime, this was a major public corruption scandal that rocked city government. In 2019, then-Mayor Steve Pougnet was arrested alongside two prominent local developers, John Wessman and Richard Meaney. They were charged with offering and accepting bribes in exchange for favorable votes on major downtown development projects. The scandal alleged a pervasive “pay-to-play” culture at City Hall. All three were convicted in various plea deals or trials, leading to significant reforms in the city’s political and ethical practices.

Disclaimer: This list is based on widespread media coverage and historical impact. The nature of “notable” is subjective, and other significant cases have also occurred in the region.