Tren de Aragua Members Plead Guilty in Bronx Double Murder
On a residential street in the Bronx, two unarmed Americans — Claretha LaQuesha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36 — were shot and killed on May 24, 2024. A third person was also shot and survived. Now, exactly two years later, four members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have admitted in federal court that they did it.
Four members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) — a Venezuelan gang that the U.S. government has designated as a foreign terrorist organization — pleaded guilty in federal court in New York on charges related to the murders of two unarmed New Yorkers. The four men — Keiber Jaen Martinez, Samuel Gonzalez Castro, Eferson Morillo-Gomez, and Keineyer Ibarra-Mujica — each admitted to two counts of murder through the use of a firearm and one count of using a firearm in connection with a violent crime. Prosecutors say all four entered the United States illegally before committing the killings.
According to court documents, on May 24, 2024, the four men agreed to kill Claretha LaQuesha Daniels and Justin Lawless near 2290 Davidson Avenue in the Bronx. Both victims were unarmed. A third person was also shot but survived. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York as part of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), a federal effort created to dismantle violent gangs. Officials say more than 260 TdA members and associates have been charged nationwide as part of this effort.
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Who Is Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua started as a prison gang in Venezuela. It grew into a transnational criminal organization now active in multiple U.S. cities, including New York. According to court filings, TdA's activities in the U.S. include sex trafficking of young women smuggled from Venezuela, drug trafficking, armed robberies and carjackings, and violent attacks on rival groups. A fifth defendant, Jarwin Valero-Calderon, pleaded guilty separately to racketeering conspiracy and a firearm charge connected to a September 2024 carjacking in New York City. All eight defendants charged in this case before the same judge have now been convicted.
Each of the four men who pleaded guilty to the murders faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The judge — not prosecutors — will decide the actual sentence. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled, according to the information available.
What to Do
- If you live in a neighborhood affected by gang activity and feel unsafe, contact your local police precinct or call 911. You do not need to give your immigration status to report a crime.
- If you were a victim of or witness to a crime and are worried about your immigration status, lawyers recommend speaking with an immigration attorney before talking to law enforcement. You may have legal protections, including the possibility of a U visa for crime victims.
- If ICE contacts you or comes to your door, you have the right to remain silent and the right to speak with a lawyer. Do not sign any documents without legal advice.
- If you are in removal proceedings (the legal process where the government tries to deport you) and have information relevant to a criminal case, an immigration attorney can help you understand how cooperation may or may not affect your case.
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If you are an immigrant who witnessed a crime or was a victim of one, you may qualify for a U visa (a visa for crime victims who help law enforcement) — even if you are undocumented. This is a specific legal protection that exists regardless of your immigration status. Do not assume that talking to police will automatically lead to your deportation; speak with an immigration attorney first to understand your rights and options.