Two men have been arrested and another is still on the loose in connection to the murder of a young rising singer.
Maria De La Rosa, known by fans as DELAROSA, was sitting in a parked car with friends in Northridge early Saturday morning when the suspects approached the vehicle and opened fire. The 22-year-old was rushed to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Two other people in the singer’s vehicle suffered serious injuries.
Three men are now facing life behind bars for the savage slaying, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Francisco Otilio Gaytan, 27, Benny LiconGomez, 27, and Eduardo Lopez, 21, all of Northridge, approached DELAROSA’s parked vehicle on Bryant Street near Tampa Avenue around 1:25 a.m. and demanded cash. They then opened fire, according to prosecutors.
The suspects were wearing dark gray hoodies and 9 millimeter bullets were found on the ground where the singer was parked, according to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ
Gaytan was arrested the same day as the shooting with bail set at $2.18 million. LiconGomez was arrested the following day, and was held on $2.28 million bail. There is currently a warrant out for Lopez’s arrest.
The three men were each charged with one felony count of murder and two felony counts of attempted second-degree robbery.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman did not mince words when discussing the case.
“This was a ruthless and targeted attack that stole the life of a young woman and artist and inflicted profound lifelong trauma on her family and the two survivors,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. “My office will pursue this case aggressively to ensure those responsible are held fully accountable for this senseless and deadly violence.”
