Three alleged members of the violent MS-13 gang appeared in the District of Maryland court on Tuesday on racketeering charges tied to murder and drug trafficking, officials stated.
On July 4, 2024, Maxwell Ariel Quijano-Casco, 24, Daniel Isaias Villanueva-Bautista, 19—both from El Salvador—and Josue Mauricio Lainez, 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland, allegedly murdered a homeless man as part of their MS-13 involvement, according to court records.
The next day, a passerby found the victim dead in a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan parked in a used car lot in Hyattsville and called 911. Police discovered the man had been stabbed in the neck.
Surveillance footage from a nearby business showed Quijano-Casco and another individual confronting the victim at 11:35 p.m., with the victim appearing to defend himself with a metal pole. The two fled, and the victim returned to the van.
Fifteen minutes later, Quijano-Casco returned with Villanueva-Bautista, Lainez, and another suspect. At 11:48 p.m., all four approached the van, leading to the fatal attack.
The victim never exited the van after the attack.
On August 23, 2024, Prince George’s County Police arrested Quijano-Casco and Villanueva-Bautista. Quijano-Casco was carrying a Ruger handgun and eight grams of cocaine. Both admitted to being present during the murder, and Quijano-Casco allegedly confessed to stabbing the victim.
Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez are charged with racketeering conspiracy tied to the July 4 murder.
If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge.
The FBI and Prince George’s County Police are investigating. Trial Attorney Christina Taylor and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo are prosecuting the case.