A former Morgan Hill man who admitted to his involvement in the 2011 shooting death of 14-year-old Tara Romero and a young woman who survived the drive-by attack testified recently in the ongoing trial for two of the five murder suspects at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
Rosa Castaneda, a friend and classmate of Romero’s who knew the slain teen since the two attended Martin Murphy Middle School, cried on the witness stand March 22 while describing the chaotic scene Nov. 4, 2011 near the intersection of Cosmo and Del Monte avenues.
“A lady was screaming ‘She’s dead!’” said Castaneda, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, in which five suspected Sureno gang members slowly drove by the intersection and opened fire at a group of teens. “I just saw a lot of people moving around. I was losing so much blood, and was trying to fall asleep.”
Castaneda was shot in the stomach and spent the next few weeks in and out of a medically induced coma in the hospital. She woke up to learn that her mother had died from liver failure. She further suffered continuing infections from the gunshot wound, and testified that just a couple days before her testimony a “bullet fragment was trying to push itself out” from her abdomen.
Romero and Castaneda—freshmen at Sobrato High School at the time—had been out that evening with a group of friends celebrating a birthday at the Morgan Hill Community Park. Two other friends of theirs were wounded by the gunfire as well.
The trial for Primitivo Hernandez, 27 of San Jose, and Fernando Mateo Lopez, 24 of Gilroy, began in early March. They are charged with murder.
Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Miguel Valdovinos called numerous eyewitnesses and the three surviving victims of the shooting to testify in recent weeks. Morgan Hill and Gilroy police officers who responded to and investigated the incident have testified, as have those who were familiar with the suspects through previous brushes with the law. Crime lab technicians who processed evidence related to the 2011 shooting, and family members of the suspects also testified for the DA’s office.
Valdovinos said as of March 25, the case is “closed to evidence.” Closing arguments by Valdovinos and the two defense attorneys are scheduled for Tuesday, April 5. After that, the jury will begin deliberating and deliver a verdict.
Castaneda added March 22 that she and her friends were standing in the grassy area outside the Village Avante apartment complex, talking and waiting for a ride home, when they saw the suspects’ vehicle drive by slowly with the headlights off. She said someone shouted “Sur!” and then a series of gunshots rang out.
Police have said the suspects were trying to settle an ongoing feud with the rival Norteno street gang. However, none of the victims targeted were involved in any gang activity at the time.
But when Castaneda was asked by Hernandez’ defense attorney Nicole Lambros about her current gang “affiliations,” she hesitated to answer. Lambros specifically asked Castaneda if she had recently posted photos of herself on Facebook wearing red—a color associated with the Norteno gang—and displaying gang signs. “Maybe,” Castaneda replied.
Castaneda was compelled by the court to testify, and she appeared wearing a black and gray striped jail jumpsuit, and she was handcuffed. Under cross-examination from Lambros, Castaneda admitted she had been arrested days before her testimony on suspicion of a traffic violation and a warrant. She also admitted she was accused of providing a false name and date of birth to the officer who pulled her over.
Driver places all five suspects in car
Later in the week, Ricardo Diaz, 23 of Morgan Hill, testified that he was the driver of the Chrysler that the suspects used to carry out the fatal 2011 shooting, according to Romero’s father Joe Romero. The Times was unable to attend court during Diaz’ testimony.
Diaz named the other four suspects—including Lopez and Hernandez—as passengers in the vehicle, Romero said. Diaz, who has pleaded guilty for his involvement in the crime, added that the suspects were intent on hurting or killing Norteno gang members that evening. Their anger was driven by an ongoing feud that resulted in vandalism to one of the Surenos’ home and vehicle.
Diaz added that Morgan Hill suspect Esmeling Bahena, who will be tried by a jury after the current trial is over, “got the ball rolling on the whole thing,” Romero said. “They were ready to go fight any northerner they found.”
He even described how he and Bahena relayed their frustration to the other suspects by phone, and they met up with Lopez and Hernandez in Gilroy to pick up the weapons and ammunition, Romero said.
Diaz testified that he could not tell from the driver’s seat who pulled the trigger when they drove by the scene of Tara Romero’s death.
Joe Romero added he had difficulty sitting through Diaz’ detailed testimony. “I started thinking these were the last minutes of my daughter’s life,” he said.
Morgan Hill police arrested all five suspects at Bahena’s residence on Barnell Avenue hours after the shooting, according to previous testimony and police reports. The fifth suspect, Ramon Gutierrez, who was 17 at the time, remains mentally unfit to stand trial and in custody at a state health facility.
The state’s evidence also includes text messages sent among the suspects the day and night of the shooting.
Morgan Hill Police Officer Luis Espejo testified March 22 that he translated these messages from Spanish to English for the detectives. He testified that these messages included condemnations of the “chapetas”—a derogatory word for a Norteno—who broke the window at Bahena’s residence. The texts also included an arrangement of a meeting of the suspects in Gilroy Nov. 4 to gather firearms and ammunition, and carry out their revenge.
