Santa Ana gang member convicted in murder of blind Armenian man
Ruben Alejandro Oliveros could face a life sentence for the slaying of Raffi Yessayan. Prosecutors say Oliveros and two co-defendants plotted to steal the victim's car and sell it for parts.
A Santa Ana gang member has been convicted of first-degree murder for shooting a blind Armenian albino man execution-style so he could steal his car and sell it for parts.
After deliberating two and half days, a jury on Tuesday found Ruben Alejandro Oliveros, 27, guilty of first-degree murder with gang and weapons enhancements for killing Raffi Yessayan, who was 26.
Prosecutors said Oliveros and co-defendants Marco Antonio Charcas-Fernandez, 23, of Santa Ana, and Aurelio Fidencio Saldivar, 30, of Costa Mesa plotted to steal Yessayan's customized black Nissan sedan. Yessayan, who was a member of another gang, had to be driven around in his car by friends because he was legally blind.
On the night of June 6, 2006, prosecutors said, Oliveros got into an argument with Yessayan while they were cruising in the car with Charcas-Fernandez and Saldivar. When Saldivar suddenly pulled the car into a dirt parking lot in Orange, Oliveros and Yessayan engaged in a fistfight, said Cameron Talley, a deputy district attorney
Oliveros pulled out a .357 Magnum handgun and pressed it to Yessayan's head, prosecutors said. They said Yessayan begged for his life as long as a minute before Oliveros shot him in the back of the head.
When he fell to the ground, Saldivar took the gun and shot him in the head a second time, prosecutors said.
The three then fled, leaving Yessayan behind and taking the car to be dismantled and sold for parts.
Joggers discovered Yessayan's body the next morning.
Charcas-Fernandez and Saldivar are each charged with one felony count of special-circumstances murder during the commission of a robbery for the benefit of a criminal street gang, and other gang charges. They are scheduled for trial Jan. 12.
Three other co-defendants who allegedly helped dismantle the car or hide the murder weapon have been charged with one felony county each for being accessories to the murder. Each faces a maximum eight years in prison if convicted. A fourth person, who helped dispose of the weapon, was sentenced to 247 days in jail and three years probation.
Talley, the prosecutor, said the case was particularly tragic because Yessayan, an only child, was an easy target and had begged for his life before he was shot.
"They planned on shooting this kid, and to do it in such a coldhearted way is pretty vicious," he said.
Oliveros faces a maximum sentence of life without parole. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9.
Barboza is a Times staff writer
tony.barboza@latimes.com
