Four MS-13 Members Convicted for Brutal Murders in Angeles National Forest

In a significant victory for law enforcement, a federal jury has convicted four members of the notorious MS-13 gang for a series of brutal murders committed in the Angeles National Forest between 2017 and 2018.

The defendants, Angel Amadeo Guzman, Fernando Garcia Parada ,Edgard Velasquez, and Jose Jonathan Castillo, were found guilty of racketeering, conspiracy, and violent crimes in aid of racketeering through murder. Each faces one or more mandatory life sentences when they are sentenced on October 20.

Brutal Murders and MS-13's Internal Code

The crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, were carried out in furtherance of MS-13's brutal internal code. The gang, which originated in Los Angeles but has since expanded across Central America, requires its members to commit acts of violence, including murder, to gain status and promotions within the organization.

The three specific homicides for which the quartet was convicted occurred over a four-month span in 2017. In the first incident, in March 2017, a victim was targeted after painting graffiti associated with a rival gang. Prosecutors said Velasquez authorized the killing.

Guzman and Garcia, along with others, allegedly kidnapped the victim,strangled him, and transported him to the Angeles National Forest. There, the group attacked him with machetes, dismembered the body, and threw the remains into a canyon.

Luring Victims and Internal Disputes

A second murder followed in April 2017. The victim in this case was a man who had previously fled El Salvador, where MS-13 suspected he had cooperated with law enforcement. One gang member allegedly used the Facebook account of a teenage girl to lure the victim to the forest, where he was killed.

The third victim was killed in June 2017. Prosecutors described the victim as an MS-13 associate who had exaggerated his standing within the gang. Castillo, Garcia, and other co-conspirators allegedly stabbed him to death in the same forested area.

Years-Long Effort to Dismantle MS-13

The case is one of many brought by federal prosecutors against MS-13's leadership and rank-and-file in California. In a separate November trial, five other members were convicted of committing six murders and are awaiting sentencing. The cumulative effort reflects a years-long strategy to dismantle the gang's infrastructure by pursuing racketeering charges that carry steep penalties.

Given the federal racketeering convictions and the multiple murder specifications, each of the four men will receive at least one life sentence, effectively removing them from society permanently.. The convictions also underscore the sustained violence perpetrated by MS-13 in the Los Angeles region and the severe consequences for those who participate in its illicit activities.

What's Next

Sentencing for the four men is set for October 20. Headlines Orbit will continue to monitor this case and report on any developments.