Scheme to bail out mom led to triple slaying, prosecutors say
Authorities alleged this week that a triple murder that shocked Compton earlier this year was carried out by two brothers as part of a robbery scheme to raise bail money for their mother, who was in Los Angeles County jail on a misdemeanor resisting-arrest charge.
L.A. prosecutors said in court that 21-year-old Jose Alfredo Prieto, Hector Martin Prieto, 18 and another man fatally shot three people during a robbery March 19 at a Compton apartment building.
The Prietos and Jesse Robles, 19 -- all reputed gang members -- were arraigned on multiple murder charges, which included special-circumstances allegations that the killing occurred during the commission of a robbery, for financial gain and to further the activities of a street gang.
Prosecutors have yet to decide whether they will seek the death penalty against the defendants. But even by the usual standards of gang violence, they said the motive for the crime was unusual.
"It's a motive you don't run across every day, but it's no excuse for murder," said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
All three men broke into the apartment behind a barbershop on a gang-infested stretch of East Rosecrans Avenue. They were looking to steal enough money so the Prietos could bail their mother out of jail, officials said. But the robbery scheme failed, and authorities say Hector Prieto fired the shots that killed Sinecia Miller, Andrew Williams and Ronald Carter, said the district attorney's spokeswoman, Jane Robison.
All three defendants were being held at Los Angeles County jail on charges in an unrelated April 3 assault, robbery and carjacking case at the time that sheriff's deputies linked them to the Compton slayings. Sheriff's officials did not disclose details about what led to the latest charges.
-- Andrew Blankstein
I'll bet the brothers jailbird mother is just so proud of them.
Posted by: Jim Q. Citizen | June 03, 2009 at 09:30 AM
Wow..this is crazy,kill 3 people to bail there mother out of jail.what was these idiots thinking,this is why we have the death penalty.
Posted by: Rat-bone | June 03, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Wow, this lady is obviously such an awesome mom that her 2 offspring would kill 3 people to bail her out on a MISDEMEANOR charge. She might have missed the right/wrong lessons in their upbringing. Hey.. where's Dad?
Posted by: OC Girl | June 03, 2009 at 10:49 AM
I DONT KNOW BUT AS FOR ME I DONT REALLY TRUST WHAT THE PROSECUTORS SAY ALL THE TIME...I DONT TRUST THEM TRUST ME IV BEEN THROUGH THAT...I MEAN FALSE ACCUSATIONS...
Posted by: RichardH | June 03, 2009 at 03:03 PM
So three people lose their lives because these guys decided to steal money to bail their mother out of jail. How incredibaly stupid can you be. Now they are all in jail and should be on death row. The mother is probably out now while they will be locked up for the rest of their lives.
Posted by: Rick | June 05, 2009 at 09:25 AM
Another one for the good guys and justice, I really like to read about these evil gangsters getting what they deserve and I hope they'll never see the outside of prison ever again, it's so funny how people try and feel sorry for these guys like them, like their victims and think that the law is aways against them, but they're neighborhood and community terrorist. When can we as residents of this city and state have peace?. When most of us reading these blogs were a kid we could ride our bikes outside, walk and play in and around the community without a worry, but, now I dare as an adult to go in a lot of different communities with my family to relax and enjoy the food or shopping on free time, because the gangs prey on the innocent people for no reason, just to gets props from their homeys and their gang, I guess they want nothing else in life but to be bums.
Posted by: jayteereal | June 06, 2009 at 10:01 AM
this is so sad.. DRU and PLIRT we miss yall..man things has gotten crazy. i am so happy that they have found the guys. but if u ask me how i feel i wish i can show it on tho's fools... cont to look of us, yall kids, and family...
luv u DRU-brother
miss u PHIRT- homie
sho sho- RIP ma
Posted by: keuna | July 08, 2009 at 04:32 PM
It is so sad that sinecia(sho-sho) Lost her life because of this....If you would have told her at 17 that this would happen to her she would smirk and have a witty response....I'm sorry this happend to you sho-sho....And I;m glad justice will be done...
Posted by: J | August 13, 2009 at 09:52 PM
There good ppl.If you dont know them don't judge them.I for one I do know them I grew up with them I know for a fact they didn't do it.
Posted by: pplDezDaiZ | September 04, 2009 at 04:02 PM