Trial to begin for third man in shooting

Oxford, 20, accused in killing of rival gang member Jan. 14

FORT SMITH — The third of four Slanga 96 gang members charged in the slaying of a rival gang member in January is scheduled to go on trial Monday in Sebastian County Circuit Court.

Ryan Oxford, 20, of Fort Smith is charged with one count of first-degree murder and seven counts of committing a terroristic act.

He is accused in the Jan. 14 shooting death of Justin Lopez, 18, who was struck in the head by one of 22 bullets that riddled a camper trailer occupied by Lopez and another man. It’s believed that Oxford owns the two guns that were used in the shooting, according to police.

The prosecution has subpoenaed about 20 witnesses to testify in what is scheduled to be a two-day trial before Circuit Judge Michael Fitzhugh.

Testimony in the previous related trials of Bryan Porras, 20, and Alberto Chavez, 19, indicated that the three — along with 17-year-old Jorge Chirinos — were looking for Lopez, a member of the rival Clout Boys gang who may have made disrespectful remarks about the Slanga 96 gang.

The four discovered that

Police gathered more than 40 spent bullet casings from the alley next to the trailer.

Lopez was in a trailer in the backyard of 2315 N. Ninth St. in Fort Smith, according to testimony. With Porras at the wheel, they drove into the alley behind the yard and pulled out an AK-47-style rifle and an AR-15-style rifle, the testimony said. After determining that there was someone in the trailer, they opened fire on the trailer, then drove away, according to testimony.

Police gathered more than 40 spent bullet casings from the alley next to the trailer.

Police said they believe Oxford bought the two rifles from a pawnshop where he worked. A police search warrant affidavit said the owner of Midland Pawn of Fort Smith confirmed that Oxford worked at the shop and had bought five guns from the owner, including AK-47-style and AR-15-style rifles.

The affidavit said that after the shooting police found an AK-47-style rifle at

the apartment of Oxford’s mother, where Oxford lived.

Chirinos testified in the Porras and Chavez trials that Porras fired the AK47-style rifle at the trailer, while Chavez fired the AR15-style rifle. Chirinos also said he later saw Oxford carry the AK-47-style rifle to his apartment.

Chavez said in a video statement played for jurors at his trial that Oxford fired the AR-15-style rifle at the trailer that night.

A firearms and tool mark examiner at the state Crime Laboratory testified that a bullet fragment removed from Lopez’s head was fired from an AR-15-style rifle.

Chavez was convicted by a jury Nov. 29 of second-degree murder and seven counts of committing a terroristic act. He was sentenced to 110 years in prison.

A jury convicted Porras on Nov. 15 of first-degree murder and seven counts of committing a terroristic act. Based on the jury’s recommendation, Fitzhugh sentenced Porras to 63 years in prison on the murder charge, lesser sentences for the terroristic act charges and another 34 years, to run consecutively to the murder sentence, for violating suspended sentences he had received last year for five felony convictions.

Chirinos also is charged with first-degree murder in Lopez’s death and seven counts of committing a terroristic act. He said during his testimony in the Porras and Chavez trials that he hoped to receive leniency in return for his truthful testimony.

He is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 8. Court records show that he has a plea deadline and mandatory court appearance Wednesday.