A Mexican Mafia hitman stalked a victim on his birthday, an investigator testified

Even on his birthday, Andrew Reyna could not refuse an order from the Mexican Mafia.

This was said by an investigator from the Long Beach Police Department who testified on Wednesday about the evidence that led the authorities to charge Reyna and two others with the murder of Samuel Villalba.

Villalba, an Artesia native nicknamed “Negro,” is said to have been a member of the Mexican Mafia, a prison-based cartel that controls many Latino gangs in Southern California. At the time of his death on Jan. 10, 2021, Villalba, 64, was living in a tent under a freeway in Long Beach.

Prosecutors say Reyna was ordered to kill Villalba, who had been marked for death after an altercation with another member of the Mexican Mafia.

At the first hearing Wednesday, Det. Leticia Gamboa testified that the message was delivered by David Oropeza, who like Reyna was part of the Eastside Paramount gang.

Reyna’s lawyer, Theodore Batsakis, said his client denies killing Villalba but declined to comment further. Reyna and Oropeza denied the charges of murder and conspiracy to murder.

Much of what the authorities know about the murder comes from Jairo Rodriguez Duque, who is also charged with murdering Villalba.

Rodriguez’s attorney, Scott Sanders, told The Times that Rodriguez may have explained what led to Villalba’s murder but did not participate in it.

“I want to be absolutely clear,” Sanders told The Times. “Jairo Rodriguez never said he participated in this murder. That’s why we are facing charges, and we look forward to proving that Jairo Rodriguez did not commit murder.”

When he was arrested in June, Rodriguez told detectives that Oropeza invited him to a birthday party the day Villalba was killed, Gamboa testified. Rodriguez and Oropeza both work at Homeboy Industries, a program that helps gang members and parolees find jobs, go to school and remove tattoos, among other services. Oropeza, 50, spent nearly a decade in prison for murder, court records show.

It was Reyna’s 45th birthday, and Rodriguez said he and Oropeza were celebrating at Reyna’s house when Oropeza got the call. After speaking calmly, Gamboa testified, Oropeza hung up the phone, turned to Reyna and said, “Go get that.”

According to the detective, Oropeza told Reyna to take the “new one” with her.

“I’ll take this one here,” Reyna said, pointing to Rodriguez, then 20.

As Reyna gave directions, Rodriguez said he drove to a residential area and parked. They walked behind the mall, jumped the fence and continued down the dirt road to the homeless camp. Rodriguez said Reyna slipped on gloves and gave him a mask, Gamboa said.

Reyna started looking around the tents, asking for someone, Rodriguez said.

After serving about 16 years in federal prison for fraud, Villalba ended up living in a collection of tents along the 91 subway tracks. He was addicted to heroin and suffering from cirrhosis, according to a search warrant and a coroner’s report. The affidavit said Villalba kept his tent “neat and orderly.”

When Reyna looked inside Villalba’s tent, Gamboa testified, he said: “I found you.”

According to what Rodriguez told detectives, Reyna shot Villalba and told Rodriguez to run.

“What if-?” Rodriguez asked Reyna as they drove.

“Don’t worry about it,” Reyna replied, telling Rodriguez. “He was a piece of s—. Don’t be a little s—.”

They returned to Reyna’s house, where Oropeza was waiting, Gamboa testified. According to the detective, Oropeza texted Rodriguez shortly before the murder, asking him to pick up sodas on the way home.

“It’s done,” Reyna told Oropeza when they walked in, according to Rodriguez.

“Don’t worry,” Oropeza told Rodriguez. “Nothing will happen to you.”

Gamboa revealed that he campaigned in the area where Villalba’s killers were seen fleeing on surveillance video. Near the fence they were climbing, Gamboa said, he found a latex glove that contained Reyna’s DNA.

Oropeza’s lawyer, Kevin McGurk, said prosecutors could not prove that his client agreed to kill Villalba. He did not give the suspects a weapon, car, money or help to avoid arrest, he said. Oropeza may have known Villalba was going to be killed, McGurk said, but “knowledge, bad intentions are not enough.”

Regardless of the influence, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Laura Laesecke said she saw enough evidence for Oropeza to stand trial. Reyna and Rodriguez have yet to hear their first hearing.