Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The man who orchestrated a series of attacks six years ago that left two dead and four wounded was sentenced recently. Ulises Jose Gutierrez, 26, was sentenced to life without parole. Gutierrez was convicted in September on two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, according to Paul Eakins, public information officer for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Jurors found true special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and that he was an active participant in a criminal street gang as well as allegations that he used a firearm and a knife, caused great bodily injury and committed the crimes for the benefit of a gang, Eakins said. Three other men have already been sentenced and two others are awaiting sentencing in a series of attacks that terrorized Baldwin Park from May until October 2013. Under Gutierrez’s direction, Francisco Moran, Gustavo Cruz, Arturo Mendoza, Johnny Balbuena and Elton Bennett targeted people they believed to be associated with a rival gang or otherwise opposed to them, according to court testimony. According to court testimony, on May 24, Cruz and Mendoza drove to a house on Maine Avenue and confronted Raymond Vasquez, 22, who was outside. A second vehicle driven by Balbuena arrived moments later and Gutierrez got out and fatally shot Vasquez with an AK-47 rifle, Eakins said.
On July 19, Gutierrez and Moran drove to a bus stop at Los Angeles Street and Merced Avenue and confronted Maurio Sotelo, 20. Moran fatally shot the victim with a handgun. Earlier that night, Gutierrez and Moran approached a man walking on a sidewalk in a residential area and Gutierrez shot and wounded him, Eakins said. Gutierrez shot and wounded a teenage boy on June 21. The next night, Bennett shot and wounded a man who was an innocent bystander in front of his home. On Oct. 2, Gutierrez stabbed a woman with a knife, Eakins said. On July 19, 2018, 31-year-old Moran of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 82 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of one count each of first-degree murder and attempted murder with gun and gang allegations. On Oct. 10, 2019, 29-year-old Gustavo Cruz of El Monte was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison and waived six years of credit for time already served in jail after pleading no contest to one count of second-degree murder. On Oct. 16, 2019, 29-year-old Arturo Mendoza of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 21 years in prison and waived six years of credit for time served after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. 24-year-old Johnny Balbuena of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison November 5 after being convicted of one count of first-degree murder and found true gun and gang allegations. 26-year-old Elton Bennett of Baldwin Park faces up to 80 years to life in prison after a jury convicted him in April of two counts of attempted murder and found true gang and gun allegations. His sentencing is scheduled for December 12. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Police found 14 spent shell casings after multiple calls of gunfire in a neighborhood Wednesday night. The shooting took place near Demblon Street and Bogart Avenue around 9 p.m. August 21. An unknown suspect opened fire, but it was unclear what the target was, according to Sgt. Andrew Velebil of the Baldwin Park Police Department. “It’s a whodunnit. They were shooting at something, or somewhere. We’re not really sure what they were shooting at,” Velebil told SGV CityWatch. The sergeant did not immediately know if any nearby structures or vehicles were hit, Velebil said. There was no word of any injuries. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A man died from a single gunshot wound to the upper torso Friday and the shooter is still at large. Investigators identified Gregory Kingsbury, 37, as a suspect in the fatal shooting, which took place around 10:06 a.m. in the 14600 block of Demblon Street June 28. Baldwin Park officers responding to a shooting call found the injured man, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The man was later declared dead at a hospital.
Kingsbury was seen fleeing in a 2012 charcoal grey Nissan Altima with paper plates and tinted windows. A motive is unknown. Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Sheriff’s homicide detectives at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A gunman is being sought in a fatal shooting that occurred Friday morning. A man was found shot in the 14600 block of Demblon Avenue around 10:06 a.m. June 28. The man was taken to a hospital where he later died, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. A suspect description is either unknown, or being withheld. Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). A suspect description is either unknown, or being withheld.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - An armed man was jailed Friday after fleeing officers after a brief chase and officer-involved shooting. The unidentified 20-year-old Baldwin Park man was riding shotgun in a stolen vehicle. Baldwin Park Police attempted to stop the driver who then led them on a chase, according to Sgt. Gonzalez of the Baldwin Park Police Department. The suspect fled the stolen vehicle on foot in the 13500 block of Tracy Street while armed. An officer-involved shooting occurred, Gonzalez said.
It is unclear if the suspect threatened the officers, necessitating a use of force. What became of the driver was unclear. The suspect hid inside an apartment complex on Tracy Street. About six apartment units were evacuated as a precaution while officers searched for the suspect, Gonzalez said. The suspect was located and arrested at 8:40 p.m. A weapon was recovered at the scene, Gonzalez said. The sergeant did not reveal the type of weapon recovered, but according to Baldwin Park Police radio traffic, a suspicious man at the complex was detained and found with a shotgun shell in one of his pockets. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A shooting has claimed the life of one of two victims hit by gunfire Tuesday night. The shooting was reported around 8:55 p.m. in the 15000 block of Olive Street. The adult male was the victim declared dead at the scene. The male juvenile was hospitalized in unknown condition, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. While Sheriff’s Homicide detectives state the suspects are unknown, early reports from the scene indicate at least one suspect in a truck yelled something at the victims before or after the gunfire. Baldwin Park officers canvassed the scene with the aid of Irwindale Police to search for either witnesses or additional victims. No other information is available. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A man was hospitalized in stable condition after being injured in a drive-by shooting Friday night, police said.
The shooting took place around 7:20 p.m. in the 3300 block of Mangum Street. The man was found shot in his right leg, right hand and groin, according to Sgt. Shawn Blackburn of the Baldwin Park Police Department. Police were summoned to the area on a report of gunshots heard. The injured man was found in the street. He said he did not know the suspects, Blackburn said. The man was unable to provide suspect descriptions. A black truck was seen driven away from the area. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Homicide detectives are attempting to identify a suspect or suspects who shot and killed a man.
The victim was found shot in the 4200 block of La Rica Avenue around 2 p.m. after officers responded to the location. The man was hospitalized and later died, according Deputy Armando Viera Jr. of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. There is no suspect description available. Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - A man wound up with a gunshot wound to an arm after officers began searching for a gunman Monday night.
Officers responded to a shooting in the 12900 block of Garvey Avenue November 13 around 5:44 p.m. As officers arrived, a man was seen fleeing the area, Baldwin Park Police said in a written statement. A short time after officers responded, a man wound up in a nearby hospital, suffering a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to an arm, Baldwin Park Police said. A suspect description was not provided. Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the Baldwin Park Police Department watch commander at 626-920-1955, ext. 440. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor BALDWIN PARK - Police are trying to determine the circumstances that left four people wounded, one critically, on a Baldwin Park street Sunday.
The shooting occurred around midnight in the 3700 block of Loma Lane. Officers arrived and found four victims with gunshot wounds, according to Sgt. Shawn Blackburn of the Baldwin Park Police Department. Three were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, a fourth in critical condition, Blackburn said. The victims and a suspect or suspects had a confrontation in the street, which led to gunfire, Blackburn said. It is unclear if the shooting is gang related. It is unclear how many people exchanged gunfire. Detectives and the Baldwin Park Police crime lab are still on scene. No suspect or vehicle description is available. Anyone with information on a suspect or suspects is urged to call the Baldwin Park Police Department at 626-960-1955. |
Archives
January 2024
Categories
All
|