Rashad Kysim Populus, 28, of Los Angeles faces a formal arraignment on Friday, Oct. 16, on a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Temecula resident Shaquilah Howard.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Judith Clark appointed a public defender for Populus and scheduled the formal arraignment during his initial court appearance Thursday, Oct. 8, Patch reported. The hearing will take place at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Populus is being held on $3 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. In addition to the murder charge, he faces counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, and parole violations.

The charges stem from the Oct. 5 shooting at the La Hacienda Apartments in the 28000 block of Colorado Avenue in Temecula. Deputies from the Southwest Sheriff's Station responded to a report of unknown trouble at 7:34 a.m. and found Howard, 30, inside her apartment, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

"Upon arrival, deputies located the victim, Shaquilah Howard, a 30-year-old resident of Temecula, suffering from wounds consistent with a gunshot," Sgt. Carlos Mendoza said in the department's Oct. 6 account of the arrest. Howard was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators allege Populus was involved in a domestic dispute with Howard at her apartment and pulled a handgun, shooting her at least once. Populus is believed to be the father of Howard's child, according to investigators.

Central Homicide Unit detectives identified Populus as the alleged shooter and tracked him to a residence in Oxnard, where he was taken into custody without incident the afternoon of Oct. 5. The Riverside County District Attorney's Gang Impact Team and the sheriff's K-9 Unit assisted in the arrest.

Populus had been released on parole Sept. 24 after serving time for a conviction for assault with a firearm. Mendoza confirmed the parole timeline in the department's Oct. 6 account of the case.

The length of Populus's prior prison term has not been disclosed. Authorities have not released a motive for the alleged attack.

Anyone with information about the case can contact Central Homicide Unit Investigator Manjarrez at (951) 955-2777.