Authorities have reported that Ezequiel Romo, a notorious gang leader who was responsible for ordering murders of both rivals and followers to maintain control over drug and collection rackets in Panorama City, was fatally stabbed on Sunday while in Centinela State Prison.
Last year, Romo was convicted of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder, resulting in a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Romo is now 47 years old.
Three inmates attacked a recent transfer to Centinela, a 3,000-man prison in the Imperial County desert, at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, according to a statement by officials.
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According to witness testimonies in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Romo, also known as “Wicked,” was released from prison in 2014 after serving a sentence of 18 years for manslaughter and attacking another inmate. Upon his return to Panorama City, his old neighborhood, he was determined to bring his gang under control.
According to a former associate who testified against him, Blythe Street, a gang named after a few densely populated blocks between Van Nuys Boulevard and Brimfield Avenue, was infested with “dirty homeboys” in Romo’s opinion.
According to the witness, the individual’s primary objective was to ensure that the people in the county jail were treated fairly. However, there were negative consequences that resulted from this, including increased instances of violence. The witness stated, “His thing was making things right for them people. Taking care of people in the county [jail]. It sounded good, but a lot of violence came after.”
Felipe Delgado passed away on November 10, 2015, as a result of being shot behind an apartment building on Kester Avenue in Panorama City.
Witnesses testified that Romo, who was arrested on drug charges two months after Delgado’s murder, served a four-year sentence at Centinela. Despite being incarcerated, Romo was able to maintain control over Blythe Street with a contraband cellphone.
The exhibit in court showed a photograph of Isidro Alba inside his Dodge Avenger on the night of August 27, 2017, when he was killed. After Ezequiel Romo was sent back to prison in 2016, Oscar Molina, a Blythe Street veteran also known as “Smoky,” took on the role of Romo’s trusted assistant.
Romo expressed his gratitude for the kind words by saying “Thank you” in Spanish, “Gracias”. He further added that such words are more valuable to him than money or material possessions. Romo, in his WhatsApp messages, expressed his desire for “complete control” of Panorama City. He referred to himself as a “general” and his gang as an “empire.” Romo also mentioned his management style, stating that “some say I’m too hands-on.”
On October 28, 2017, while Carlos Rios was painting a fence in Van Nuys, he was shot in the back.
According to his WhatsApp messages, Molina made sure to keep Romo updated on the other killings that occurred in the neighborhood. One such incident involved Santos “Raider” Martinez, an 18-year-old member of the Blythe Street gang, who shot and killed a rival gangster and an innocent bystander on a bus bench. Molina messaged Romo, stating that “everything worked out perfecto once again.”
Romo responded with a reassuring, “Good to know…” followed by a grateful “Gracias” and a final reminder to stay safe.
Their relationship eventually turned sour as Romo reprimanded Molina for not answering his calls. On the other hand, Molina complained about Romo’s excessive attention to detail. During one instance, Molina even expressed his personal struggles to Romo, saying “Sometimes I’m not having a good day.”
In August, Gonzalez faced charges for the murder of his cellmate, Joseph “Capone” Hutchinson, in a lockup located in downtown Los Angeles.
Michael “Mosca” Torres, a Mexican Mafia member who held power over the Los Angeles County jail system for a significant period, had a close association with Hutchinson, who was 51 years old.
Last July, Torres, who was serving 133 years to life for attempted murder, witness tampering, and other crimes, was killed at California State Prison, Sacramento. He was considered by law enforcement to be the most influential figure in organized crime in the San Fernando Valley.
