5 Sentenced In Palos Verdes, Angeles Crest Killings

LOS ANGELES, CA — Four reputed gang members — some of whom were convicted in the killing of a man during a robbery at a lookout along Angeles Crest Highway and others for the shooting deaths of two people inside a parked car during an attempted hold-up at a Rancho Palos Verdes lookout two days later — were sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, while a fifth was sentenced to 30 years to life.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen called the killings "casual slaughter," and told the five that they "showed no mercy" and will receive "no mercy."

"These defendants deserve the maximum term in state prison," the judge said after hearing a series of emotional statements from more than a dozen of the victims' family members and friends.

Marco Antonio Hernandez, 21, was convicted June 2 of three counts of murder in connection with the July 22, 2023 killing of Jesse Munoz along Angeles Crest Highway and the July 24, 2023 deaths of Jorge Ramos and Taylor Raven Whittaker, who were shot inside a parked Subaru in the 7000 block of Palos Verdes Drive.

Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez, now 24, and Luis Ventura, 27, were found guilty along with Hernandez in the killing of Munoz, while Rossel Jose Hernandez-Ponce, 24, and Wendy Sarai Cerritos, 23, were convicted along with Hernandez in the killings of Ramos and Whittaker.

In a statement read in court on her behalf, Munoz's mother, said, "It's so sad they took away his life like that ... I'm missing my baby very much."

Rosalina Rodriguez noted that all she wants is her son back, but said she is "very blessed that justice is being served."

Ramos' father, Silas, called out the "group of killers that took away our son" and maintained that they "deserve the death penalty," while Whittaker's mother said she has spent nearly three years learning to live with her daughter's absence and would give anything to hear her two daughters laughing together again, adding that her family will live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.

Munoz was sitting in his car with a female friend in a "perfect place to come upon unsuspecting victims and rob them," with the group acting as a "pack" outnumbering and robbing the two before Cortez fired at Munoz as the victim tried to back his vehicle out, Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams told jurors during closing arguments of the trial, adding that the victim's vehicle wound up on top of a guardrail.

Williams noted that Cortez told an undercover operative in jail following his arrest that "I shot him three times."

The same gun was used two days later at the lookout in Rancho Palos Verdes, with Hernandez-Ponce firing the shots that killed Ramos and Whittaker and Hernandez firing multiple times without striking the victims, according to the prosecutor.

Cerritos — whom the prosecution alleged was the getaway driver — chose the "very remote" location, got out of her Toyota Scion and communicated with Hernandez-Ponce that there were two people in the victims' vehicle, then watched as her compatriots got out of her car and surrounded the victims' vehicle, the deputy district attorney told the jury.

"No one pressured her to do this. She is just as involved as everyone else," Williams said, urging jurors not to let the young woman's youthful look "fool you."

The deputy district attorney called the crimes "calculated terror" and urged the panel to "hold these gang members accountable and responsible for their actions."

In his closing argument, Hernandez's attorney, Damon Hobdy, called question to the murder charge against his client for Munoz's killing, arguing that he didn't plan the crime, supply a gun or do anything other than driving the getaway vehicle.

He said jurors needed more evidence than his client's admission to shooting into the Subaru in Rancho Palos Verdes, urging the panel to "Make your decision based on the evidence."

Alvarenga-Cortez's lawyer, Anthony Arzili, questioned the accounts of two key prosecution witnesses and asked jurors to acquit his client. He said the young man was in the U.S. without any family and was homeless at the time.

Defense attorney Simon Aval said he didn't know why Ventura was charged with murder, noting that "My client didn't shoot anybody."

"They're trying to get five murder convictions and stretching the law," he said.

Hernandez-Ponce's attorney, Michael Waldinger, noted that the jurors have heard "confessions" and "admissions," but said that is "not enough."

"I'm asking you all to do something that is so, so difficult," he said. "Look at this case ... find that the prosecution hasn't proved their case."

Laurice Y. Cheung, representing Cerritos, described her client and Hernandez-Ponce as being "at a minimum infatuated with each other, possibly in love," and said the young woman was "wanting to fit in in his world."

The defense attorney said Cerritos only realized that real firearms were being used in the Rancho Palos Verdes attack after she heard the gunfire, and said she was "scared" and quickly drove away upon being told to do so when the men returned to her car after the shooting.

In her rebuttal argument, Deputy District Attorney Carmelia Mejia urged jurors to convict each of the defendants, arguing that the victims "should all be on this planet," but that the defendants "stole their lives."

Jurors found true the special-circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder during the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery against Hernandez and Hernandez-Ponce, , while jurors found true the special- circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery against Alvarenga-Cortez and Cerritos.

The panel also found true allegations that Hernandez, Hernandez-Ponce and Alvarenga-Cortez personally used a firearm.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office opted not to seek the death penalty against Hernandez, Alvarenga-Cortez, Hernandez-Ponce and Cerritos, who were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ventura — who did not face any special-circumstance allegations — was sentenced to 30 years to life in state prison.

Hernandez, Alvarenga-Cortez and Ventura were also convicted of two counts of robbery involving the Angeles Crest Highway attack, while Hernandez, Hernandez-Ponce and Cerritos were found guilty of two counts of attempted robbery involving the Rancho Palos Verdes attack.

All five defendants were convicted of one count each of conspiracy to commit robbery.

They have remained behind bars since their arrests in the summer of 2023, jail records show.

By Terri Vermeulen Keith, City News Service