Two individuals were found dead from gunshot wounds in a business parking lot in Blythe. The incident occurred on Monday, July 8, with the Blythe Police Department responding to the scene around 8:12 p.m. on the 500 block of East Avenue A, as reported by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Despite efforts to save the lives of the victims, both were pronounced deceased at the location.
Authorities established a perimeter, halting both vehicle and foot traffic, while investigators from various units, including the Colorado River Station, Central Homicide Unit, and the Coroner’s Bureau, were summoned. An additional crime scene connected to the shooting was later identified on the 900 block of East Avenue B. The victims have been named as 45-year-old Audelio Solorio and 27-year-old Deveon Keyshawn Smith, as per a statement from the Sheriff’s Office. Both men were Blythe residents.
An 18-year-old named Jose Angel Manjarrez, also a Blythe resident, has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the case. Information from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office notes Manjarrez was booked into the Blythe Jail. The investigation remains active, and authorities are not releasing further details at this juncture.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information about the case to come forward. Those with knowledge pertinent to the investigation can reach Investigator Munoz of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Morlock at the Colorado River Station at (760) 921-7900.
