MURRIETA (CNS) – A 48-year-old man accused of gunning down an acquaintance and burying his remains just south of Interstate 10 in Cabazon pleaded not guilty today to first-degree murder and other charges.
Jesse Bruce Kennedy of Cabazon was arrested last month following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of Cristian Valenzuela Nieto, who was previously reported missing.
Along with murder, Kennedy is charged with a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The defendant was arraigned Friday before Superior Court Judge Theresa Canepa, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Dec. 1 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta…