Alleged Monterey County gang member connected to mass shooting charged with 6 murders
An alleged Monterey County gang member has been charged with six counts of murder in connection with a deadly mass shooting in King City, along with a separate shooting that killed two cousins in 2024.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday that a grand jury indicted 21-year-old Manuel Galindo Rodriguez of Greenfield following five days of testimony from witnesses. Prosecutors said the grand jury also found that Rodriguez committed the offenses for the benefit of the Norteno street gang.
In a statement, the DA's office said the indictment, "follows more than two years of ceaseless investigation by multiple agencies including the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, King City Police Department, and Monterey County Sherriff's Office."
Rodriguez, who has been in custody since April 2024, joins 35-year-old Pedro Nava, 20-year-old Angel Evans and 20-year-old Jonathan Cervantes among those being charged in the shootings. Prosecutors said they intend to join Rodriguez's case with the others.
According to the DA's office, the alleged crime spree began in early 2024, when Evans and other Norteno gang members stole two vehicles on the Monterey Peninsula. On Feb. 3, Rodriguez, Evans, Cervantes and two others allegedly robbed a Big 5 sporting goods store in Salinas and stole about $2,000 of ammunition.
Prosecutors said Nava directed Rodriguez, Evans and Cervantes to hunt for rival gang members the next day. During their search, they found Jack Chanchola and Andres Gonzales outside Greenfield, mistakenly concluded they were rival gang members and began to chase them in a stolen vehicle.
The pursuit ended when the cousins crashed in a vineyard off Los Coches Road. Prosecutors said the trio then shot dozens of rounds at Chanchola and Gonzales, killing them.
Rodriguez is also charged in connection with a Mar. 3, 2024 mass shooting at a family birthday party in King City, a shooting that was allegedly under Nava's direction. Prosecutors said Rodriguez, Evans and Cervantez scouted the party for nearly an hour, before firing dozens of rounds of partygoers, who were assembled under a tent in the front yard of a home.
The shooting killed Alicia Ramirez Aparicio, who was celebrating her birthday, along with Mario Guzman Mendoza, Francisco Aldape Perez and Olivo Perez Pina. Seven others were injured in the gunfire.
According to the DA's office, Rodriguez was sentenced in Nov. 2024 to four years and eight months in prison after being convicted for firearm possession and an assault he committed inside the Monterey County Jail.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.
