Eleven MS-13 members are charged with the 2016 kidnapping and murder of two Northern Virginia teenage boys, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.
The bodies of the two victims, Edvin Escobar Mendez 17, of Falls Church, Virginia, and Sergio Arita Trimino, 14, of Alexandria, were discovered at Holmes Run Park in March 2017. They had been missing since late 2016, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say the gang members lured Edvin to his death because they suspected he was part of a rival gang. After killing Edvin, the defendants than targeted Sergio, believing he was cooperating with law enforcement, according to the indictment. Both juveniles’ remains were buried in Holmes Run Park, court documents say.
All 11 defendants face conspiracy to kidnap charges. One member, Oscar Contreras Aguilar, 20, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. If convicted, each defendant could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
El Salvador is the country of origin for all 11 suspects, the Justice Department said. Ten of the suspects are in custody, and police believe one has fled the country.
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