RISING LATIN SINGER, 22, GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD: Shocking Twist as ‘Friends’ Arrested Over Brutal Murder – with Chilling Evidence Suggesting They SET HER UP
- Maria De La Rosa, aka DELAROSA, was shot dead in a Northridge street in the early hours of November 22
- Two ‘friends’ from her childhood, Francisco ‘G Boy’ Gaytan and Benny ‘Player’ Gomez, have been charged with her murder and robbery
- Chilling evidence, including text messages and surveillance footage, suggests the pair set the singer up for the fatal attack
A promising young Latin singer’s life was brutally cut short in a senseless act of violence, and now two men who called her ‘friend’ have been accused of orchestrating her murder. Maria De La Rosa, 22, known professionally as DELAROSA, was gunned down in a Northridge street in the early hours of November 22. But in a shocking twist, detectives believe she may have been set up by the very people she trusted.
Francisco ‘G Boy’ Gaytan and Benny ‘Player’ Gomez, both childhood friends of the singer, have been charged with her murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. The pair, who are reportedly members of the Bryant Street gang, allegedly lured DELAROSA to the location under false pretences, with the intention of robbing her. But the plan went horrifically wrong, and the singer was shot in the chest, dying shortly after arrival at hospital.
According to a search warrant affidavit, Gaytan told police that Gomez had made plans to meet DELAROSA for a ‘drug buy’ on Bryant Street, but the real intention was to rob her. However, a search of Gaytan’s phone revealed a text message sent to one of the alleged shooters, Eduardo ‘Active’ Lopez, just five hours before the murder, which read: ‘Go get a ski mask.’ This damning evidence has raised suspicions that Gaytan was more involved in the plot than he initially let on.
Meanwhile, surveillance footage from a nearby apartment building appears to contradict Gomez’s version of events. The footage shows Gomez talking to Lopez and the second alleged shooter moments before DELAROSA arrived on the scene. Gomez can be seen shaking their hands and making a Bryant Street gang sign before the pair disappeared down an alley. It is alleged that Gomez then called DELAROSA, luring her to the location where the shooters were waiting.
As the investigation continues to unfold, prosecutors have announced that Gaytan and Gomez face a maximum of life in prison without the chance of parole if convicted of the charges. The news has sent shockwaves through the music industry, with fans and colleagues alike paying tribute to the talented young singer who was tragically taken before her time.
‘This was a ruthless and targeted attack that stole the life of a young woman and artist and inflicted profound lifelong trauma on her family and the two survivors,’ said L.A. County DA Nathan Hochman. ‘We will do everything in our power to ensure justice is served.’