Love triangle likely fueled fatal shooting near North Long Beach stables, prosecutor says – Press Telegram

Two men fatally shot an acquaintance at a North Long Beach stable where they were all hanging out and later told jailhouse informants it was because of a lovers' quarrel and perhaps because the victim had to money, a prosecutor told the jury during closing arguments. of their trial Friday May 24.

Luis Barrios, 56, and Leonel Zapien Martinez, 34, face murder and conspiracy charges stemming from the Dec. 18, 2021 shooting of Abelardo Ramirez Bonilla, 46, also known as “Tato,” as he left the Ranch, a stable near 72nd Street and Atlantic Place.

Lawyers representing both men argued that prosecutors did not present enough evidence to prove that either man committed the shooting, nor did they show evidence of 'a plan to kill Bonilla.

Jurors received the case Friday afternoon after a trial that lasted more than a week.

A third man, Eleazer Lopez, 36, will be tried separately on the same charges, according to court records.

Prosecutor Kenneth Chu referred to recorded jailhouse statements from Barrios and Martinez that the shooting was planned because Lopez was dating a woman who had broken up with Bonilla months before and he was jealous that she was still exchanging calls and messages with Bonilla. Martinez also told the informant that part of it may have been money owed to Lopez.

The four men knew each other and hung out at the Ranch, with the woman testifying during the trial that Bonilla was often seen hanging out with Barrios and Lopez hanging out with Martinez, said Jennifer Valdez, Barrios' public defender. Bonilla and Lopez sometimes lived with Martinez.

The woman testified that she dated Bonilla for two years, Chu said, but that she was introduced to Lopez and began dating him while Bonilla was serving a prison sentence for domestic violence, she said. -he declares. Bonilla was upset to still see his ex-girlfriend at the stables and continued to call and text her, which made Lopez angry.

“Suspicion and jealousy are growing,” Chu said. “(Lopez) checks her calls, he accuses her of lying to him” about still seeing Bonilla.

Although it is unclear when the plan was hatched to kill Bonilla, Chu pointed to recorded jailhouse conversations, surveillance videos and text messages indicating the three men were all aware of at least one plan a day before the shooting.

Barrios, in a recorded jailhouse conversation, told an informant that he was good friends with Bonilla, but the victim was angry with him at the time for spending time with Lopez and Martinez, Chu said. At another point, he told the informant that he knew the other two were planning to kill Bonilla.

Despite their good friendship, Chu said, Barrios never warned Bonilla of the plans.

Instead, Barrios told the informant that he used his brother-in-law's truck to drive Martinez to the stables, the prosecutor said.

The night of the murder, Chu said Barrios went to the stables just after 7:30 p.m. to see if Bonilla was there. After spotting his SUV, Barrios left, but returned about 15 minutes later and waited for Bonilla to come out of the stables.

Bonilla's SUV is seen on surveillance video driving away from the stables, but stops just as it exits the camera's view. A scream is heard followed by six gunshots three to five seconds later. Chu told the jury that Martinez was the shooter.