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Phoenix man sentenced in cartel-related murders of 4 men in California

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A Phoenix man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the 
possibility of parole for the 2015 cartel-related murders of four men in 
California, according to The Office of The District Attorney in Orange 
County.

Raul Gastellum Flores, 33, of Phoenix, was convicted in April for 
"murdering four men in a failed attempt to take over the drug business," 
district attorney officials said. He was convicted on four counts of 
first-degree murder, four special circumstances of murder during the 
commission of a robbery and four special circumstances of multiple 
murders.

On Nov. 9, 2015, the city of Orange police were called to an abandoned 
burning SUV in a residential neighborhood. After firefighters put out the 
fire, they found three men killed. They were identified as Antonio Medina, 
Fernando Meza and Edgar Berrelleza. All had suffered gunshot wounds, and 
one had suffered stab wounds, as well.

Meza was still alive when the fire was started, and soot was found in his 
lungs, according to district attorney officials.

Six days later, officials said Edgar Berrelleza's brother, identified as 
Joel Berrelleza, was found dead with gunshot wounds in a car in Fontana, 
California.

Court documents said Flores was recruited by Rosario Roman-Lopez to carry 
out the murders, stealtens of thousands of dollars from the Berrelleza 
brothers and murder them if they refused to pay. According to officials, 
Roman-Lopez was accused of orchestrating the murder plans because Edgar 
and Joel Berrelleza cut him out of their drug dealing business, run by the 
Sinaloa Cartel. Flores traveled from Phoenix to Orange County to help 
Roman-Lopez carry out the murders.

Roman-Lopez was believed to have been killed later in Mexico in 
retribution for the murders.

"The murders were not intended just to kill; they were carried out in a 
way to maximize the terror for the murdered while maximizing the pleasure 
for the murderers," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. 
"Someone who takes such delight in taking the lives of others as a hired 
gun is someone who should not spend a single minute more outside the walls 
of a California state prison."

Officials said two other defendants in connection to the murders are still 
at large and wanted on warrants.

Annie Goodykoontz is a reporter for The Arizona Republic. You can reach 
her at AGoodykoontz@gannett.com.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-
breaking/2024/07/25/raul-gastellum-flores-of-phoenix-sentenced-in-
california-for-2015-murders/74544313007/

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Phoenix man sentenced in cartel-related murders of 4 men in California Harris Border Security <aint@none.com> - 2024-07-26 08:33 +0200

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