MS-13 Gang Members Accused of “Human Hunting” Across Two States — Jury Convicts Three Men in Brutal Killing Spree

Three men linked to the notorious MS-13 gang have been convicted in a federal racketeering case involving a series of brutal killings across California and Nevada. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants hunted down victims to increase their standing within the gang, targeting people they suspected of belonging to a rival group.

The case involved crimes committed between 2017 and 2018, including shootings, kidnappings and savage knife attacks. After a 43-day trial in Las Vegas, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against all three defendants on multiple charges, including murder and racketeering, on June 29, 2026.

The defendants were identified as Jose Luis Reynaldo Reyes-Castillo, David Arturo Perez-Manchame and Joel Vargas-Escobar.

Prosecutors Describe a Campaign of Violence

During opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanee Smith told jurors that the defendants allegedly went out looking for people they could kill, with violence serving as a way to gain status within MS-13.

Prosecutors said the victims were sometimes targeted because of superficial characteristics that led the attackers to suspect they belonged to the rival 18th Street gang.

Investigators connected the defendants to a series of killings in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The indictment included charges related to 11 killings, although the jury did not return guilty verdicts on two of those killings.

Victims Endured Horrific Attacks

Among the cases presented at trial was the killing of 21-year-old Izaak Towery, who was allegedly abducted in Las Vegas in February 2018 after being mistaken for a member of a rival gang.

Prosecutors said Towery was stabbed 235 times. They told jurors that he spoke only English, while his attackers questioned him in Spanish.

Another victim, 19-year-old Abel Rodriguez, was found dead in a field after suffering extensive stab wounds, according to the prosecution’s account.

The jury also considered the killing of 21-year-old Arquimidez Sandoval-Martinez, who was allegedly abducted from a Las Vegas nightclub, taken into the desert, attacked with a machete and shot.

These cases formed part of a broader prosecution alleging that gang members used extreme violence to strengthen their position within the criminal organization.

Three Men Convicted After Lengthy Trial

The jury found all three defendants guilty of racketeering conspiracy and multiple other offenses, but their individual convictions differed.

Reyes-Castillo was convicted of eight murders in aid of racketeering, along with kidnapping and firearms offenses. Perez-Manchame was convicted of two murders and two kidnappings, while Vargas-Escobar was convicted of one murder and a firearms-related offense involving a death.

The defendants’ attorneys challenged the credibility of cooperating witnesses, arguing that some had incentives to provide testimony favorable to prosecutors in exchange for reduced sentences.

Despite those arguments, the jury returned guilty verdicts on numerous charges. The three men face mandatory life imprisonment without parole on the qualifying convictions, with sentencing scheduled for November 10, 2026.

Families Await Sentencing

The case has highlighted the devastating consequences of gang violence and the dangers faced by people who are mistakenly identified as members of rival groups.

While the convictions mark a major development in the prosecution, the legal proceedings are not yet complete. The upcoming sentencing hearing will determine the penalties imposed on the defendants for the offenses of which they were convicted.

The case also illustrates how federal investigators and prosecutors pursued alleged gang-related crimes across state lines, assembling evidence from multiple killings over several years.

Sources: Daily Mail