Banning Police ID, Arrest Suspects in 2012 Murder

The Banning Police Department says they've solved a year-old murder case, and announced two arrests in the death of a local man Wednesday.

Joshua Lee Fredieu, who was 32 at the time of his death, was shot in the head on Aug. 22, 2012, according to Banning Police Sgt. Ray Arretche.  His death was discovered when police responded to a report of a car into a fence.


"Banning Police officers and detectives responded to the intersection of Plaza Street and South Florida Street in reference to an apparent traffic collision," Arretche said in a news release.  "An unresponsive male was found in the driver’s seat and was determined to be deceased."

Investigators soon realized that Fredieu had been shot, he said.

Since then, homicide investigators have identified to suspects, both from Banning who Arretche identified Wednesday as Thomas Matheis, 30, and Amy Lou Daniel, also 30.

"Detectives submitted the case to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for review and murder charges were filed against Matheis and Daniel," he said.  "Arrest warrants for Matheis and Daniel were then issued."

According to the sergeant, Matheis is already in prison serving a nine-year term for an unrelated case.  He has been re-arrested and charged with the murder of Fredieu and will be arraigned on Sept. 11.

As for the woman, Amy Daniel was found just last week, according to Arretche.  

The sheriff's department's "fugitive apprehension team" arrested her on Aug. 13 at 2:15 p.m. in the area of Murray and Hays streets in Banning, according to jail records.  She was taken to the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and booked on $1 million bail on murder and other charges, records indicate.  

Daniel is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 22.