Indio Murder Suspect Arrested in Palm Desert

A 42-year-old Indio man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murdering his live-in girlfriend, whose body was found in Indio.

Michael John Franco was arrested about 7:15 a.m. in a car in the 47200 block of Heliotrope Drive in Palm Desert by police who tracked him there through his cell phone, Ben Guitron of the Indio Police Department said.

The body of 41-year-old Jill Grant was discovered about 6:30 a.m. Monday in a dirt area near Golf Center Parkway and Avenue 42, and her death was deemed suspicious, according to Guitron.

"Further review of the body determined that the victim was killed, based on the trauma," he said. Authorities didn't immediately disclose the nature of the trauma.

Investigators determined that Grant lived in the 84-400 block of Onda Drive in Indio, and detectives on Monday night found evidence linking her boyfriend to the death, Guitron said.

Detectives found Franco in Palm Desert on Tuesday and arrested him without incident. He was booked into the county jail in Indio on suspicion of murder and weapons violations and is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.

Franco is expected to be arraigned Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to jail records.

Anyone with information about the killing was asked to call police at (760) 391-4057, or Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-7867. Tips may be made anonymously.