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MS-13 gang member convicted for six ‘gruesome’ murders in Virginia, Massachusetts
Charlie Kirk Staff
10/23/2024
On Monday, a federal jury found MS-13 gang member Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray guilty of murdering five people in Northern Virginia between 2018 and 2022, as well as an additional killing in Massachusetts. Candray, a 27-year-old Salvadoran national, also known by aliases including German Alexander Ramirez Lopez, Buky, and Desquiciado, was convicted on multiple charges. These included six murders, conspiracy to engage in racketeering, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and three counts of using a firearm during a violent crime resulting in death.
“This case is a stark reminder of the violence and disregard for human life inherent in MS-13’s criminal enterprise,” stated Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their deadly activities, from flooding our streets with dangerous narcotics to the brutal murders by which they attempt to impose their presence, will not go unchecked.”
According to authorities, Candray and several co-conspirators were responsible for six murders. The first took place on August 15, 2018, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, when Candray and fellow MS-13 members killed K.A.C., an associate of the gang’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, whom they suspected of betrayal. The group beat, strangled, and dismembered K.A.C., burying the remains in trash bags in a wooded area. Candray and his associates were promoted within the gang for their roles in the killing.
“Alas Candray committed half a dozen gruesome murders to rise in rank in MS-13, demonstrating a vile disregard for his victims’ lives,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist said, according to Fox News.
On June 23, 2019, Candray and MS-13 members armed themselves with pistols and machetes to carry out another murder in Reston, Virginia. They shot and slashed the victim in Hunters Woods. Later, on September 17, 2020, Candray and three others lured a woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston, where they fatally shot her in the face.
Candray’s violent spree continued with three more murders in Northern Virginia from March 2021 to June 2022. He also attempted to cover up the gang’s activities by instructing a relative to inform members to dispose of ammunition and move locations after law enforcement obtained evidence against them.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not immediately provide additional information regarding Candray’s immigration status. He is set to be sentenced by a federal judge on January 30, facing a minimum of life in prison for each of the murder convictions.
