In the Bronx, a 25-year-old man named Nestor Suazo was killed on September 19, 2015. His death was the result of a shooting that occurred near East Tremont Avenue and Clinton Avenue. The incident, which also left another man in critical condition, was not a random act of violence but was rooted in a deep-seated internal dispute within a notorious street gang. Suazo was pronounced dead at St.
Barnabas Hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the torso.
The investigation into Suazo's murder revealed his ties to the Rollin' 30s Crips, a violent street gang operating in the Bronx. It was determined that an altercation between different factions of the gang at a music video shoot precipitated the fatal events. During the fight, Suazo reportedly stabbed Randy Torres, a high-ranking member of the Rollin' 30s. Following this, Torres pursued Suazo and assaulted him before ordering another gang member, Derrick Richardson, to kill him. Richardson, also known as 'J Rocc,' carried out the order and fatally shot Suazo. Surveillance footage captured Richardson fleeing the scene and discarding the murder weapon.
A lengthy investigation led by the NYPD and Homeland Security Investigations resulted in the arrests of several members of the Rollin' 30s Crips. In June 2020, nearly five years after the murder, Derrick Richardson was federally charged with the murder of Nestor Suazo in aid of racketeering. The case brought to light the violent activities of the gang, which included murder, robbery, and drug distribution to protect and expand their criminal enterprise.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of justice for Suazo's death. In February 2020, a jury found Randy Torres guilty of racketeering conspiracy, with the jury specifically finding that Suazo's murder was part of this conspiracy. In September 2022, the sentences were handed down. Derrick Richardson, who had pleaded guilty to narcotics and racketeering charges, received a sentence of 24 and a half years in prison for shooting and killing Nestor Suazo. Randy Torres, for his role as a leader and for ordering the murder, was sentenced to 39 and a half years in prison. Another leader of the gang, Walston Owen, was also sentenced to 39 and a half years for his involvement in the gang's violent activities.
