An alleged assault that culminated in an attempted murder charge has seen 24-year-old Gabriel Ray Hernandez of Highland taken into custody, following an incident that reportedly began with an online encounter and ended in a violent attack in the Temescal Valley region. According to information obtained from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, the deputies were called to the scene on August 4, 2024, after the female victim, who had suffered serious injuries, was found in the 27000 block of Barcelona Drive; this led to her immediate transportation to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The subsequent investigation by the Lake Mathews Sheriff's Station revealed the suspect identified as Hernandez had earlier met the victim through social media then picked her up from her home on the day of the assault before driving her out to a secluded area near Mountain Road and Horsethief Canyon Road, where he allegedly assaulted her and struck her with a glass bottle, the events seemed to have unraveled in a quiet neighborhood, usually strangers to such brutality and it is in such contrast that the violence of the act is rendered even more jarring. Hernandez was arrested on August 26, 2024, in San Bernardino and is now facing charges including attempted murder and felony assault.
The suspect is currently held at the Robert Presley Detention Center and investigators are considering the possibility of other victims given the nature of the suspect’s engagement with the victim through social media, a domain where anonymity often cloaks the nefarious intentions of predators seeking prey in digital shadows. The Sheriff's Office is actively seeking further information from the public to assist in the investigation and has issued a call for additional victims or witnesses to come forward with information related to Gabriel Ray Hernandez or similar incidents.
Authorities request that anyone with information touch base directly with Investigator Soraya Pytell at the Lake Mathews Sheriff's Station by calling 951–272–5600. Details of the case are still emerging and updates will be made available as the investigators continue to unravel the extent of Hernandez's alleged actions.
