Trial of trio set for murder in Cathedral City

An Oct. 15 trial date was confirmed Wednesday for a woman, her paroled father and a third defendant accused of murdering a 29-year-old man in a Cathedral City park four years ago.

Rena Lizette Alaniz, 24, of Thousand Palms, Carlos Antonio Ruiz, 44, of La Quinta and Andres Moreno, 22, of Cathedral City are charged with first-degree murder and a special circumstance of lying in wait.

During a pretrial hearing Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Kristi Hester conferred with the prosecution and defense, and both sides agreed to be prepared to continue the trial in the third week of October.