Five MS-13 members were found guilty in the 2016 murders of two teenagers in Fairfax County, Virginia, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The gang members lured a 17-year-old unnamed victim from Falls Church into Holmes Run Stream Valley Park by telling him there would be a gang meeting there. The group then proceeded to brutally attack and stab the victim before burying him, the release said.
They lured the second victim, a 14-year-old resident of Alexandria, in a similar way before proceeding to attack and kill him.
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The names of the five charged in the murder are: Elmer Zelaya Martinez, Ronald Herrera Contreras, Henry Zelaya Martinez, Pablo Velasco Barrera and Duglas Ramirez Ferrera. There have been 17 defendants charged in this case, nine pleaded guilty before the trial.
The defendants convicted face a mandatory life sentence “for murder in aid of racketeering activity and for kidnapping resulting in death,” conspiracy to commit kidnapping, murder in aid of racketeering activity and conspiracy to kidnap, according to the Attorney's Office. A judge will issue the final ruling.
