Man stabbed to death in Palm Springs; police say suspect had been dating him

A 68-year-man was stabbed to death at a mobile home park in Palm Springs on Sunday night, and police caught a suspect in the killing after a search that involved a helicopter.Palm Springs police said officers responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at the Palm Canyon Mobile Club, in the 500 block of Tiki Drive on the south side of the city, at about 9 p.m. Sunday.

Officers discovered a 68-year-old man outside a home with apparent stab wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he died. He has not been publicly identified by the coroner.

Eyewitnesses, including a neighbor, reported hearing an altercation and seeing someone fleeing. Officers then began combing the area, and a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department helicopter was brought in to help. Police sent notifications to residents about why the helicopter was flying overhead at around 10:15 p.m.

After a search lasting about an hour and 45 minutes, the suspect, 22-year-old Evan Steele, was located and taken into custody by officers. Investigators believe Steele had recently been in a relationship with the victim and acted alone. Steele is being held without bail in the county jail in Indio, according to jail records.

Steele was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder but does not appear to have been formally charged, according to court records. The homicide is the first to have occurred in Palm Springs since October 2022, when a man was shot outside Palm Springs’ Raising Cane’s restaurant.

Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.