Desert Local News - Index

Desert Local News - Desert Local News Print and Virtual Edition April 17 2008 - Index

POLICE & SHERIFFS REPORT
Decker Denies All Accusations
During His Trial Testimony
By LesLie andreWs
Former desert hot springs police
Officer Dennis Decker continued
to testify on Thursday in regards
to 20 charges of sexual misconduct
against him in court. at the beginning
of Thursday’s hearings, decker
discussed the credibility of the two
degrees he obtained online, as was
discussed the previous day by sgt.
Radames Gil, who testified. “I composed
a resume of experience which
i emailed back and forth to the university,”
he stated. “gil was actively
attending college, i was submitting
information i already took, in preparation
for a promotion.”
on Wednesday, gil, who was
decker’s supervisor from time to
time at the department, was asked
about bullet proof vests. decker admitted
that he lent his vest to one of
his victims back in 2006. “Mine fit
her better,” he said, before she was
eventually provided with one of her
own.
decker was asked about several
places he had lived and where one of
his victims attended school. Before
working for the police department as
a dispatcher, decker was a security
officer at the Spa Resort Casino and
was also a loss prevention officer at
gottshalk’s department store. The
big question- “Did you rape the victim
at anytime while living at any of
these residences?” was asked. decker
responded “no” every time.
Questions about the victim’s sex-
ual orientation came up, as reports
stated that she feared that she would
lose her family if she came out of
the closet about being gay. defense
attorney dolan stated, “her parents
had a big blow up about it. it’s a
difficult thing.” He later stated that
these issues, along with the allegations
of sexual misconduct were all
part of a plan to ruin decker as he is
going through a divorce. “so far, he’s
explaining everything to the jury and
he’s doing well,” dolan added.
deputy district attorney victoria
Cameron will begin cross-examining
Decker on Monday, hoping to finish
by Tuesday. Jurors are expected to
make their decision soon.
Drug Task Force Makes Arrest at Palm Desert Country Club
staff and wire reports
a joint narcotics investigation involving
the Coachella valley narcotics
Task Force and the palm desert
police culminated in the service of a
search warrant in the 77-000 block
of missouri in palm desert. a significant
amount of drugs were seized by
police, along with several firearms.
Cory Casaluci, 18 years old, of
palm desert was arrested for possession
of marijuana and ecstasy
for sales, possession of heroin, possession
of stolen property and being
armed with a firearm while in possession
of narcotics. Casaluci was
booked into the indio Jail.
The palm desert police would
like to remind everyone to report any
suspicious activity immediately by
calling 911, or by using our dispatch
number at (760) 836-3215. if anyone
has additional information on this
case, they can contact the drug task
force at (760) 323-8135 or the palm
desert police at 760-836-1600.
Palm Desert Man Arrested For
Receiving Stolen Property and Burglary
staff and wire reports
Officers from the Palm Desert
police department responded to a
vehicle burglary on edgehill drive
at painter’s path (the sandpiper
Community) in palm desert. The
victim noticed her vehicle’s door
window was shattered and saw a
white male adult in his 40’s walking
away from the vehicle with her
purse. The victim quickly called police
and attempted to stop the suspect
from leaving. The suspect battered
the victim, who was uninjured
and fled in a white 1990’s truck.
after interviewing the victim,
Officer Nicholas Bazanos believed
he knew who the suspect was from
past contacts. a photographic lineup
was conducted and the victim identified
the suspect as Ralph Nemec,
age 45 of Palm Desert. Officer Bazanos
obtained a warrant for nemec’s
arrest and took him into custody at
his residence, in the 45-000 block of
panorama on april 8, 2008. a search
of his residence revealed stolen
property from additional burglaries
and nemec was booked into the indio
Jail with a bail of $90,000.00.
This is an ongoing investigation.
anyone with information regarding
this incident or similar burglaries is
encouraged to contact the palm desert
police station at (760) 863-1600
and refer all information to Officer
Bazanos.
The palm desert police department
would like to thank the victim
for her quickly calling the police and
providing detailed information about
this incident that led to the arrest. We
would also like to remind the public
that attempting to apprehend criminals
themselves is extremely dangerous
and is not recommended. if
you have any questions, comments
or concerns regarding public safety
you can contact the palm desert
police Community oriented policing
division at (760) 836-1600, or
you can contact us on our web site at
palmdesertpolice.org.
911
By LesLie andreWs
desert esert Local news has ob- ob- it wasn’t. “i saw the two daughdaughtained
the tape of a 911 call ters face down on the ground,
made by 15-year-old danielle then i saw my brother and my
Blixt, a desert hot springs girl father laying down. Then, i saw
who survived a murder/suicide the girlfriend down as well,” she
shooting rampage while visiting added. she then took the keys
her father in Temecula last year to the truck and left the house.
on november 11th.
“i called 911 several times and
“i’m driving the hell away nobody answered, then i tried to
from this,” said a frantic dan- call my mom,” she said. danielle
on tape. “i don’t know ielle stayed on the phone until
what’s going on. my father, his police arrived.
girlfriend, her two daughters and
The father, Jeffery Blixt, was
my brother have been beaten to described to be about 44 years of
death in the backyard. my family age and has been arrested at least
is all dead.” The dispatcher was once before. danielle knew the
also trying to calm her down as family had problems but it never
they were speaking. during the occurred to her that her brother
call, which was made on a cell would kill almost his entire
phone, danielle was en route to family. The other victims were
a nearby albertson’s market on described as naomi grangroth,
yukon and rancho California 34, and her twin 15-year-old
road driving a silver Chevrolet daughters, narissa and nikita
truck.
Williams.
“i saw one of the daughters
The riverside County sher-
trembling for help and i didn’t iff’s department also released a
know what to do,” added dan- tape of a call made by Christine
ielle as the conversation with rio, who lived right next door to
dispatch continued. she was not where the shooting occurred. “i
familiar with the area and had heard three shots fired, I heard
difficulty leading officers to her. a moaning sound of a female
“i’m also illegally driving,” she voice,” she said on the tape. “i
said on tape, not having a valid noticed two trucks were there
driver’s license. danielle parked and one was suddenly gone.
near the shopping center in front i also bodies laying down in
of a Burger King.
the backyard. i’m afraid to go
in further detail, danielle there.” What rio had also seen
described how she was in a was what appeared to be dan-
room in the house while she ielle Blixt driving away in her
heard screaming. “she (the father’s pickup truck away from
girlfriend) is such a loud per- the murder scene.
son, it didn’t occur to me that
reports say that danielle’s
there was a beating going on,” brother, matthew Blixt, age 17,
she said on the phone. “i can- had shot everybody in the head
not do this much longer, i need with his father’s gun, then took
to get home.” Danielle at first his own life. There was no sui-
thought this whole beating was cide note nor do detectives know
a joke, but then she realized that the motive behind the killings.
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