A Santa Barbara jury has found three men guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and gang conspiracy charges in connection with a series of MS-13 gang-related killings in Santa Maria between 2013 and 2016.
This was the second of two trials related to the case that included nine murder victims and 14 victims of attempted murder.
The first trial, involving five defendants, wrapped up in April 2022 with guilty convictions for Luis German Mejia Orellana, Juan Carlos Urbina Serrano, Marcos Manuel Sanchez Torres, Tranquilino Robles Morales, and Juan Carlos Lozano Membreno. All five were sentenced to life in prison.
The three defendants in the second trial - Jose Balmore Saravia Lainez, Jose Ricardo Saravia Lainez and Jose Narciso Escobar Hernandez - are scheduled to be sentenced on July 26. They also face multiple life sentences.
