In a landmark ruling, a federal jury in Los Angeles has found five members of the transnational gang MS‑13 guilty of orchestrating a series of six gruesome murders designed to advance their position within the gang. The convictions stem from violent attacks involving machetes, knives, firearms and baseball bats in remote mountainous areas of Los Angeles County. Sentencing is scheduled for July 2026.
Savage Killings to Climb the Gang Ranks
According to evidence presented in the trial, the defendants targeted victims who were either perceived members of the rival 18th Street gang or who had broken MS-13 rules. The murders took place in the Angeles National Forest and other secluded locations, including the Malibu hills, Santa Clarita Valley and Van Nuys. Attack methods ranged from shootings and beatings with baseball bats, to stabbings and attempts at decapitation — bodies were in some cases dumped from cliff edges and hillsides.
The defendants and the counts against them include:
- Walter Chavez Larin, 26 (Panorama City)
- Roberto Alejandro Corado Ortiz, 30 (Baldwin Park)
- Edwin Martinez, 28 (Cypress Park)
- Bryan Alexander Rosales Arias, 28 (South Los Angeles)
- Erick Eduardo Rosales Arias, 27 (South Los Angeles)
The jury found each guilty of a RICO conspiracy count, with Chavez and Corado also convicted of two counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder and Martinez convicted of three VICAR murders; the Rosales brothers were each found guilty of one VICAR murder.
Law Enforcement Sends a Clear Message
Officials emphasized that these verdicts mark a significant step in dismantling MS-13’s violent influence in the region. The case was built through cooperation among the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). Prosecutors noted the mandatory sentence for each defendant is life in federal prison when they are formally sentenced next July.
Law enforcement leaders stressed the verdict underscores that gang violence and intimidation “have no place” in Los Angeles County and criminal organizations will be held accountable for terrorizing communities.
