Two gang members sentenced for killing 21-year-old

Two men were sentenced in 2006 for killing another man as part of a gang incident, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

After a three-week long trial, Richard Raul Acedo, now 38, and Antonio Cisneros, now 32, were both found guilty on Dec. 29, 2005, of multiple murder crimes arising from the fatal shooting of Nelson Gonzalez, 21.

On March 7, 2006, Acedo was convicted of second-degree murder; Cisneros was convicted of first-degree murder. They were sentenced to 157 years to life and 120 years to life, respectively. 

The men also were found guilty of two counts each of attempted premeditated murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. Acedo was found guilty of an additional count of cocaine possession. Jurors also found gun and gang allegations to be true. 

On the afternoon of Feb. 10, 2002, Gonzalez, his girlfriend, and several others arrived in a Toyota truck at his girlfriend’s house in Huntington Park , prosecutors said. 

Witnesses testified that Gonzalez, who had the Loma Vista gang tag on his house, looked down the street and saw three TMC gang members: Acedo, Cisneros and another man. Gonzalez and two other friends had gotten into a prior confrontation with the three men, according to witness testimony at trial.

As Gonzalez's friends exited the vehicle, witnesses said, Gonzalez quickly rounded the back of the truck and walked into the street toward the gang members. Two of his friends followed behind. 

The three men spread out around Gonzalez and a fight broke out, according to witness testimony. At some point, Cisneros pulled out a gun and shot Gonzalez twice in the back, witnesses testified. As Gonzalez attempted to get away, Cisneros stood over him and shot him in the neck, according to evidence presented at trial. He was later transported to the hospital where he died at 6:21 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Several of Gonzalez’s friends were also hit by gunfire but survived. 

On Feb. 20, 2002, police executed a search warrant at two homes near the shooting where Cisneros was staying with his mother and half-brother. Officers found several weapons including an AK-47 and took Cisneros into custody.

In the mother’s car, officers found a receipt to a storage container that was searched later that day. Inside, police found 76 firearms and about 50,000 rounds of ammunition. Graffiti of the TMC gang tag was found on the walls. 

Five days later, police stopped Acedo in front of  Cisneros’ mother’s house and arrested him. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.