Man pleads not guilty to stepfather’s murder in Rancho Mirage

Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 36-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his elderly stepfather last week in Rancho Mirage was officially charged with murder on Tuesday.

Joshua Jordan Kohain-King of Yucca Valley was arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder of Carl Harry Smith, 76, of Rancho Mirage.

Kohain-King was arraigned on a murder charge Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, in which he pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to return to court for a Felony Settlement Conference on Oct. 15. He remains in custody on $1 million bail.

Deputies responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at 8:33 p.m. Thursday in the 36000 block of Palm View Road. Arriving deputies encountered Smith suffering from “injuries consistent with stab wounds,” the department stated. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kohain-King was identified as the suspect and taken into custody without incident. It was unclear what led investigators to identify Kohain-King as the suspect. A possible motive was not disclosed.

The investigation was ongoing, and anyone with additional information was asked to call 951-955-2777.

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