Additional Coverage:
- 5 MS-13 gang members found guilty in string of gruesome California killings, bodies dumped off cliffs (foxnews.com)
Five MS-13 Members Convicted in Grisly String of Murders Across Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA – A Los Angeles County jury has delivered swift guilty verdicts against five members of the notorious MS-13 gang, finding them responsible for a series of brutal killings designed to elevate their standing within the criminal organization. The victims, many of whom were rival gang members or those who violated MS-13’s strict rules, met gruesome ends, often beaten, strangled, and in some instances, their bodies discarded off cliffs in the remote, mountainous regions surrounding Los Angeles.
Following a nine-week trial, the Justice Department announced that Walter Chavez Larin, 26; Roberto Alejandro Corado Ortiz, 30; and Edwin Martinez, 28, were all convicted of one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Further convictions include:
- Chavez and Corado: Two counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder.
- Martinez: Three counts of VICAR murder.
- Bryan Alexander Rosales Arias, 28: One count of VICAR murder.
- Erick Eduardo Rosales Arias, 27 (Bryan Rosales’s brother): One count of VICAR murder.
“We thank the jury for returning swift guilty verdicts against these MS-13 criminals who engaged in horrific acts of violence and murder,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “I thank and commend our law enforcement partners for their work in removing members of this terrorist organization from our streets. MS-13 is a violent brutal gang that must be eliminated from the United States, and we will not stop until we succeed in our mission.”
Federal prosecutors detailed at least six murders committed by the defendants. Many of these horrific acts involved victims being beaten with baseball bats, machetes, and knives in or near the Angeles National Forest.
One chilling account from June 2017 involved a victim claiming a leadership role in MS-13, who was lured to the Angeles National Forest where he was stabbed and hacked to death by assailants, including Chavez. Prosecutors revealed that several attackers attempted, unsuccessfully, to decapitate the victim before abandoning his body.
In October 2017, another victim, rumored to be an 18th Street gang member, was enticed to his death by two teenage girls. He was subsequently kidnapped, strangled, beaten with a baseball bat, and fatally stabbed with a large hunting-style knife.
His body was then thrown off a cliff in the Angeles National Forest. Corado and Bryan Rosales were among his attackers.
A third victim in July 2018 was lured to the Malibu hills under the guise of socializing. While at a scenic overlook, Corado shot the victim in the back of the head.
Corado then passed the gun to Erick Rosales, who also shot the victim, before other MS-13 members took turns firing. The victim’s body was ultimately thrown down a hill from the roadside.
Martinez was found responsible for three murders, including a December 2018 shooting of an individual mistaken for an 18th Street gang member returning from the gym. He also murdered an MS-13 associate addicted to methamphetamine-a violation of gang rules-on January 13, 2019, and a homeless man on January 14, 2019, who had a tattoo believed to be linked to the 18th Street gang.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that this violence “underscores the urgency of destroying MS-13 and putting its depraved members behind bars.” She added, “Under President Trump, MS-13 can no longer unleash terror on the American people with impunity: We will eradicate this foreign terrorist organization and secure justice for its victims.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman acknowledged the profound impact of the gang’s violence on local communities. “MS-13 has inflicted unimaginable suffering on victims and their families in our communities,” he stated.
A sentencing hearing for those convicted is scheduled for July 2026.