Suspects Accused in Trial for Death of Man Discovered in Burning Vehicle in Thermal

Three suspects have been arrested and ordered to stand trial on felony charges in connection with the death of a man found inside a burning vehicle in Thermal. Hector Ramiro Yamanaka Ruiz, a 44-year-old resident of Coachella, has been charged with one count of murder, arson on property, and possession of a fire explosive. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of violating a domestic violence court order. Ireneo Dominguez Lagunes, aged 57, has been charged with arson on a property, possession of a fire explosive, and being an accessory. Daisy Cabrera Gil, a 34-year-old resident of Coachella, has been charged with being an accessory to the crime.

The charges stem from the death of Jesus M. Hernandez, a 35-year-old whose body was discovered inside a burning car in the early hours of July 14 in Thermal. During a preliminary hearing, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Daniel Cline testified that Gil had revealed during an interview that she had gotten into an argument with Ruiz, her then-boyfriend and live-in partner, and had kicked him out of their residence.

While Ruiz was outside the residence, Gil received a message from Hernandez asking if she had anything to smoke. She responded positively, and Hernandez went over to their place. It is alleged that they were smoking methamphetamine and playing a dart game when Ruiz entered the room with a firearm. Gil claimed that Hernandez attempted to calm Ruiz down before being shot multiple times by him. According to Gil’s second interview, Hernandez had reached for his gun on a table before Ruiz shot him. Following the shooting, Gil alleged that Ruiz had yelled at her and expressed the need to take action, but she advised against involving the authorities due to her criminal record.

During his interview, Ruiz stated that he had anticipated Gil’s intention to invite another man to the house after kicking him out. As a result, he left a window open in one of the bedrooms and went to a friend’s house to retrieve a firearm. He entered the home, overheard the two engaging in sexual acts during the dart game, became angry, and walked into the room questioning the situation before fatally shooting Hernandez six times. Afterward, Ruiz claimed that Gil had urged him not to report the incident due to her criminal record.

Following the shooting, Gil was dropped off at another person’s house, while Ruiz sought assistance from Lagunes. They allegedly disposed of the murder weapon, burned the vehicle, and then cleaned the crime scene with mops and bleach. Afterwards, they drove to a gas station and picked up Gil. The cleaning supplies were discarded at a dumpster in a nearby apartment complex in Coachella.

After the preliminary hearing, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Stafford Hawkins concluded that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case against all three defendants. A post-preliminary hearing arraignment was scheduled for July 12. The arrests of all three suspects occurred in 2022 in Coachella. Yamanaka was arrested on July 29 near Mountain Drive and is currently incarcerated without bail at the Southwest Detention Center. Gil was also arrested on July 29 near Mazatlan Drive and is being held on $500,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. Lagunes was arrested on August 1 near Valencia Lane and is being held on $1 million bail.