Five members of a gang were sentenced Thursday for their involvement in two armed robberies in Southern California that resulted in three deaths last year. Four defendants received life sentences without the possibility of parole, while a fifth was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years to life in prison.

According to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, the defendants are identified as Marco Antonio Hernandez, 21; Luis Ventura, 27; Abraham Alvarenga Cortez, 24; Rossel Jose Hernandez-Ponce, 24; and Wendy Sarai Cerritos, 23. All are affiliated with the same gang.

The convictions relate to two separate incidents in July 2023. On July 22, at approximately 3:30 a.m., Hernandez, Ventura, and Cortez drove to the Angeles National Forest where they confronted Jessie Enrique Munoz, 32, and a companion seated in a vehicle. The three defendants held the men at gunpoint and attempted to rob them. Munoz reportedly resisted handing over his car keys and put the vehicle in reverse, prompting Cortez to fatally shoot him. Munoz’s passenger was not injured.

Two days later, at around 2 a.m. on July 24, Hernandez-Ponce, Cerritos, and Hernandez approached a vehicle parked outside the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. The occupants, identified as Jorge Ramos, 36, and Taylorraven Whittaker, 26, were allegedly killed after refusing to surrender their valuables.

In terms of charges, Hernandez was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of second-degree robbery and attempted second-degree robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. Ventura and Cortez were each found guilty of one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Hernandez-Ponce and Cerritos were convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Ventura’s sentence differs from the others as he is not serving life without parole.

All five defendants have been in custody since their arrests in late July and August 2023. The case highlights ongoing concerns over violent crime linked to gang activity in the Los Angeles area.