The Desert Sun from Palm Springs, California • Page 6

AGACROSS THE VALLEY -THE DESERT SUN Thwsdayf May 26H 994j Trial Riggs' wife in court, but doesn't testify BRETZ BONO prosecution and defense met with Hilda Riggs in the court chamber. Because of a financial burden, Billy Ray Riggs is serving as his own attorney. "The D.A. tried to force Mrs. Riggs to testify," Billy Ray Riggs said after the meeting.

He said his wife's decision not to testify would not jeopardize her plea bargain because she cannot be retried under California laws. Martinez said the statements Billy Ray and Hilda Riggs gave to police investigating the case are "substantially identical," except on who pulled the trigger of the shotgun that killed Bowie. They pointed fingers at one another, Martinez said. Bowie with special circumstances, including robbery and motor vehicle theft. In March, Hilda Riggs pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prisonHilda Riggs, being held in county jail in Indio, will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of her sentence.

With the plea-bargain deal, the special circumstances were dropped and she agreed to testify against her husband of nine years. They have a 2 -year-old daughter. But in a May 16 letter submitted to Superior Court Judge Thomas- Douglass Hilda Riggs said she changed her mind. On Wednesday morning, the By DEBORA BRFTZ East Valley Editor INDIO Hilda Riggs, who in March agreed to be a prosecution witness against her husband, was brought to court Wednesday but did not testify. Riverside County.

Deputy District Attorney Henry Martinez said he didn't know whether she will take the stand in the murder trial of Billy Ray Riggs, who faces the death penalty if convicted. "It's, a big question mark right now," Martinez said moments after Wednesday's court session adjourned. -After their arrest in January 1992, the Riggses were charged with murdering Jamie Michelle choice, but the endorsement proves otherwise. Meanwhile, my campaign goes on." Dr. Phil Bretz said he met face-to-face with McCandless not long after his retirement announcement, and the congressman told him he would endorse no one.

"He just went back on his word like a typical politician," Bretz said. "Corky is in trouble why else would he do this?" Dr. Kent DeLong and merchant Bud Mathewson could not be reached for comment. Endorse Continued from Al During the interview, he also accused Bono of possessing "hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend to basically buy a seat in the Congress." McCandless said he doubted Bono's ability to master the day-to-day workings of the House. "I don't think Sonny has the credentials to grasp problems and -move quickly," he said.

"Corky has the leg up." The endorsement drew a sharp response from Bono, who accused Larson and McCandless of an eleventh-hour attempt to salvage her campaign. "They're really scrambling," Bono said. "By reversing his decision not to endorse anyone, McCandless has shown he is a good bureaucrat." Bono called the congressman's assessment of him "pure hogwash." "He knows how capable I am," Bono said. "This is a real political move. The plan is, 'Get Other GOP candidates had their own take on McCandless' sudden decision.

"The person with the most to lose from this is Bono," said Palm Springs accountant Lewis DaSilva. "He keeps saying he's the only Continued from Al Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 1989 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Peters testified. "But Bowie was unable to find work in her field in Oklahoma, where her mother lived. So later that year, she moved to the Los Angeles area, where her younger brother; Bryan, was attending school and rented an apartment in Van Nays, Peters testified. She was supposed to begin a new job the Monday after the Easter weekend of 1990, after visiting friends in Mesa, Peters said.

Joe Bowie, who lives in Monterey, said be urged his daughter to leave ber car in California. She had made what he referred to as a "very bad (car) purchase" and often called him with mechanical problems. But bis daughter insisted on driving so she could move around town without depending on others, Bowie said. She talked to her mother Friday night, April 13, 1990, and left for Mesa the next morning, promising to call again Monday upon her return, Peters said. She never called back, and never returned home.

Her parents offered $5,000 for anyone with information on her whereabouts. As her father warned, Bowie had car problems, he said. Once she arrived in Mesa, she took her car to a repair shop Saturday afternoon aUd called him in Monterey, won- WE DELIVER! For convenient horne delivery of T)ie Desert Sun call 322-5555 or toll-free 1-80O-834-6O52, jm (ipm Mun tn (um UniKttii A Min Bowie to Banning, where they stopped to eat and cool off the cars. After the meal, Riggs kidnapped Bowie at gunpoint in the diner's parking lot, Martinez said. Riggs and Bowie sat in the back of her car, while his wife drove toward Indio, where Bowie was shot and killed, Martinez said.

He said Fresno police in September 1991 found her car at an automotive wrecking yard and that Riggs sold Bowie's car using the registration from his own 1973 Beetle. A Jan. 10, 1992, "America's Most Wanted" segment on Bowie's slaying led to the Riggses' arrest in Los Angeles a week later. Riggs, who is serving as his own attorney, said he will reserve, his opening arguments and defense until Martinez rests his case. He said he plans to "fight the D.

A. in any way I can legally." Of his first trial day, he said, "It was not a win for either side." The prosecution continues its case today. dering if the new motor in her car was under warranty. For Joe Bowie, it was his last conversation with his daughter, he said. On Monday, as Bowie headed west on 1-10, her car overheated and she pulled over at a truck stop, Martinez said in opening remarks.

Riggs approached her, accompanied by his wife Hilda and appearing as a "good Samaritan," Martinez said. Martinez alleged Riggs, also driving a Volkswagen, followed $(095 il tf Carpet Cleaning Entire Home. UK5 Truck Mounted Steam Cleaning Certified Technicians Spot Removal John C. Kotarski M.D., FACO.G. (formerly of Desert Medical Group) Board Certified in Obstetrics Gynecology Practicing in Palm Springs for ten years Chairman, Dept.

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