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MS-13 Gang Convicted of Machete Murders in National Forest
5 Jun
Summary
- Four Los Angeles men tied to MS-13 were convicted of killing three people.
- The victims were lured or abducted and killed with machetes in Angeles National Forest.
- Convicted men face potential life sentences for their roles in the murders.
Four Los Angeles men linked to the MS-13 gang have been found guilty by a federal jury. They were convicted of racketeering conspiracy and violent crimes in aid of racketeering, specifically murder. The four men are Angel Amadeo Guzman, Fernando Garcia Parada, Edgard Velasquez, and Jose Jonathan Castillo.
Prosecutors stated that between March and June 2017, the convicted individuals murdered three people. These victims were either lured or abducted and taken to the Angeles National Forest. Reasons for the killings included disrespecting the gang, such as painting rival graffiti or leaving El Salvador without permission.
The victims were brutally hacked to death with machetes. The U.S. Department of Justice has secured over 30 convictions for similar MS-13-related murders. The four convicted men could each face one or more life sentences in federal prison.
