CA - Caretaker Arrested After Senior's Body Found in Riverside County Care Facility Trash Bin, La Quinta, 2019

[JoeFromLB]

A monstrous crime. The torture murder of an elderly man in assisted living. Unbelievable...

Caretaker Arrested After Senior's Body Found in Trash Bin

Coroner's officials released the name of the man whose body was discovered inside a trash bin at a residential care facility in a gated neighborhood in La Quinta.

Ronald Clarke, 87, was a resident at the board-and-care home prior to his body being found on Nov. 21 in the 43-500 block of East Parkway Esplanade, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

A caretaker at the facility, Cristina Noelle Canimo, 32, of Palm Desert, was charged last week with capital murder and torture. She allegedly used a knife, box cutter, screwdriver and a hammer in the crime.

A possible motive for the killing remains a mystery.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Documents uncovered by a local news station reveal a history of staff criminality and neglect at the facility, including a traumatic injury to a patient in the last year.

Caregiver arrested in murder of man dumped in trash can, facility owners respond - KESQ

 

[JoeFromLB]

Ronald Clarke was 87 years old, a Korean War veteran, and a retired photographer. His wife of 35 years died in 2018 after a long illness. They were active in the local art scene.

To be tortured and killed by a caretaker, then dumped in the trash is an atrocity of the worst kind. I will definitely keep track of this case.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Cristina Canimo pleaded not guilty at her arraignment. She is accused of torturing and killing Ronald Clarke, using a knife, boxcutter, screwdriver, and hammer to murder him, then dump his body in the trash bin outside the residential care facility where he lived and she worked.

How in the world can someone do something like this?!

And how could she torture and kill someone in a residential care home without arousing suspicion, then move the body to the trash bin outside without anyone noticing?! That 'care home' needs to be shut down!!

 

[JoeFromLB]

Suspect arraigned in killing of 87-year-old man found in La Quinta trash bin

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Thanks @JoeFromLB. This crime is just as horrific as so many others that get a lot more attention. Awful, awful, awful...

Man's inhumanity to man... over and over again.

 

[JoeFromLB]

The La Quinta care facility where the murder happened has been closed by the state and all its residents relocated.

Canimo was ordered to undergo a psych exam (at the defense's request) in early 2020, but I cannot find any further details. She remains held without bond and is charged with special circumstances, which in California make her eligible for the death penalty. I will try to look for court records.

La Quinta care facility linked to body found in trash bin closed

 

[Filly]

Yep, can't find squat after her psych examine.

May be wrong but the fact her middle name is Noelle makes me think she is American born. Maybe? Either way I'd love to meet her.

A Korean Vet you tortured and put in a trash bin? O.K. uhhuh. Tortured!!!!! Maybe I'm wrong but have a faint idea what maybe made this sly pick this heroic man to torture.

OMG I need Excedrin.

 

[JoeFromLB]

I just started going through threads that I've posted to check for any updates. I haven't done that in a while. But for California, there's no rush, as these horrific murder cases take years to even get to a preliminary hearing.

The court system in this state is unbelievable. As are many other aspects of a once-beautiful state. It's a real mess, but where can you even go these days to be safe and have a decent life?
The violent crime rate is skyrocketing in my own city of Long Beach. It's like a shooting gallery almost every night in some areas of the city that one never thought of as particularly dangerous.

/rant over

 

[Filly]

Thanks for checking on updates @JoeFromLB


Please keep safe. We need you safe and sound.

 

[JoeFromLB]

To follow this case via Riverside County Court Records requires a subscription. I was able to access a general Inmate Search which reveals that Canimo's next court appearance is July 16th. No further details available.

In these possible death penalty cases in California, there are often delays of 5-7 years before an actual trial, and literally hundreds of court hearings, motions, etc.
With mental health motions and psychiatrists involved, it's very slow going.
I'll check in when I can. When she goes to trial the media will jump back in, but for now they're not interested.

 

[JoeFromLB]

A Riverside County inmate search shows that Canimo's next court date is December 10, 2021. No further details are available without a paid subscription and I'd rather not do that.

She's eligible for the death penalty with special circumstances of torture, so this thing could go on for years before an actual trial. There could literally be hundreds of hearings, etc before she's called to account for this horrific crime. The justice system in California is broken.
I'll keep checking every now and then. I won't let this one go.

 

[Spyralflare]

Oh, this one really hurts my heart. I work in a senior living facility in CA. Assisted Living residents are so vulnerable. This is just monstrous.

 

[JoeFromLB]

A judge ruled in July, 2022 that she will stand trial for murder. Good!

I can't link from my computer for some reason, but will jump on my phone soon with the story.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Latest update...her next court hearing is May 19th.
Canimo is being held with no bail.
She is charged with Murder with malice, 1st degree Murder, and Torture.

I'll check back every now and then.

 

[JoeFromLB]

She apparently had her hearing on May 19th.
Next court hearing is set for August 22, 2023.

I can only find minimal information. I have access to an inmate locator for Riverside County, but not detailed court records.

Canimo is being held without bail. November will be four years since her arrest. These things move extremely slowly in California.

 

[SandyQLS]

Below is the jail inmate info from the Riverside Co Sheriff website. The case number is #LA193250028

LA = a courthouse called Larson Justice Center in Indio, CA

19 = year of case is 2019

But no matter how I type the number in, the free search on that number returns nothing. There is a disclaimer on another page about must accept cookies and not have pop-up blockers. I remember this county being very difficult to search.

Free public case search by number if someone wants to try:

Riverside Public Access 5.7.27

Inmate Information System

 

[JoeFromLB]

Yes, I've got the free site which merely gives the date of the next court hearing.
I recall the more detailed case record requires a paid subscription.

 

[SandyQLS]

I found the case detail that I was looking for. KESQ TV in Palm Springs hosted the original pdf court filing 11/26/2019 which shows a Case# INF1902018. That number gives the minutes of the case.

Riverside Public Access 5.7.27

 

[JoeFromLB]

There was a Continuance granted at her hearing on 8/22/23 and a Trial Readiness Conference is set for 10/26/23.
Hope things will start to move towards a trial. It has been almost four years.