On March 27, 2010, Gary Shelton, age 68, was killed in Long Beach, California, in a homicide that involved multiple individuals. Three men—Luis Orozco, Shawn Verrette, and Frank Ervin—were found guilty of Shelton's murder, which occurred during the commission of a robbery. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the men conspired to kill a robbery co-conspirator, Franklin Robles, who was shot at a Long Beach body shop.
Gary Shelton's involvement and subsequent death occurred amidst this robbery and murder plot, and the defendants were charged with first-degree murder, second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Following a week of jury deliberations, all three men were found guilty, and the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery, as well as gun allegations, were found to be true. A fourth defendant, Rosa Orozco, pleaded no contest to being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to probation. The Long Beach Police Department conducted the investigation, and the guilty parties were subsequently sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for their roles in the crime.
This tragic event highlights the complexity of criminal activities that sometimes lead to unintended victims, such as Gary Shelton, whose death stemmed from an ongoing dispute involving his acquaintances and a robbery that went awry. The conviction and sentencing of those involved offer some resolution, though the circumstances remain a grim reminder of the violence that plagued the area during this period.
