The Broward Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit, working in partnership with BSO’s Gang Investigations Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Border Patrol (USBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), has arrested nine people for committing four homicides in South Florida connected to the MS-13 gang. The homicides occurred in 2014 and 2015.

Beginning in 2015, BSO Homicide Unit investigators started noticing similarities between several violent murders in Broward County. The murders took place in a small area of Oakland Park, appeared to be gang related, and were carried out using knives or machetes. Leads were exhausted and the cases went cold. 

In 2020, the BSO Cold Case Unit reopened the unsolved homicides and, using a variety of investigative techniques and modern technologies, detectives pieced together evidence that pointed to MS-13 gang leaders, members and recruits in South Florida and Virginia as being responsible for or involved in the killings. 

One of those investigations resulted in an extensive, multi-day excavation in Oakland Park in 2021 that led to the recovery of the body of Joel Canizales-Lara, who was reported missing in 2014.   

MS-13 members Wilson Tirado-Silva, Miguel Cabrera Granados and Melvin David Cruz-Ortiz believed that victim Joel Canizales-Lara had falsely claimed to be a member of MS-13 from El Salvador. Once it was determined that he was not a recognized MS-13 gang member, in late November 2014, Tirado-Silva, a South Florida leader of MS-13, Granados and Cruz-Ortiz lured Canizales-Lara to a vacant field in the 4200 block of North Dixie Highway in Oakland Park. Canizales-Lara was stabbed to death. The trio then buried him in a makeshift grave. In May 2021, following an extensive forensic excavation, Canizales-Lara’s body was recovered. 

A witness told Tirado-Silva that victim Omar Gutierrez was flashing signs of a rival gang. MS-13 leader Andy Tovar approved the killing of Gutierrez. On Jan. 7, 2015, Tirado-Silva located Gutierrez in the area of the 200 block of Northeast Oakland Park Boulevard in Oakland Park, where Tirado-Silva murdered him. Gutierrez was not a documented gang member. 

Eight members of MS-13 were involved in the murder of Gerson Vasquez Portillo in western Palm Beach County in May 2015. According to detectives, Portillo was believed to be affiliated with a rival gang when he was stabbed and shot to death. 

On Oct. 19, 2015, victim Chrislet Ondina was hanging out with Tirado-Silva and Cruz-Ortiz in the 100 block of Northwest 41st Street in Oakland Park. At some point, Tirado-Silva and the other suspect decided to murder Ondina. Ondina was stabbed to death. Detectives believe the murder was part of an initiation into MS-13 for Cruz-Ortiz. 

Beginning in July 2022, BSO detectives and its federal partners began securing federal grand jury indictments for murder in aid of racketeering charges for Tirado-Silva, Tovar, Cabrera-Granados, Gamez-Melendez, Cruz-Ortiz and Vigil-Benitez. All of them have either pled guilty or were convicted for their roles in the various murders. 

Following additional investigation, in March 2025, BSO and FBI detectives arrested Gamez-Maravilla, Bermudez-Martinez and Escobar for their participation in Portillo’s murder. A tenth suspect, an unindicted co-conspirator, has not yet been located. All six convicted defendants are facing life in prison, and the three defendants arrested in 2025 are eligible for the death penalty.

Related court documents and information regarding these cases may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60078. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida posted a news release on the cases HERE.

“The heartless and brutal actions of these ruthless and violent criminals demonstrate a complete disregard for human life,” Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony said. “BSO’s Cold Case Homicide investigators, who worked closely with our federal partners, proved once again that justice has no expiration date. We owe it to the families of the victims and to this community to make sure the people who committed these heinous crimes are held accountable.”

According to BSO’s Gang Investigations Task Force, the MS-13 gang is known to be active in Broward County but is not believed to have a significant presence in the county. The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that MS-13 is a violent transnational gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador that operates throughout parts of the United States.

“Nine MS-13 terrorists have been taken off our streets and four cold murder cases have been solved thanks to the great investigative work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “Let this be a lesson: no matter how long it takes, we will never give up in our pursuit of justice.”

 

“These vicious and callous acts by MS-13 not only shattered lives but also undermined the safety and security of South Florida communities,” said Hayden P. O’Byrne, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “Through my office’s unwavering partnership with other federal, state, and local law enforcement, we are sending a clear message to those who inflict violence, feed drug addiction, or cause other harm to the people of our district: We will find you; we will prosecute you; and we will apply the full force of American justice.”  

“This investigation reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to arrest dangerous criminals who threaten the safety of our citizens and our communities. Combating violent crime continues to be a top priority for the FBI and the Miami Field Office,” said Brett Skiles, acting Special Agent in Charge FBI Miami. “The FBI is grateful for its close collaboration with numerous local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, whose combined efforts were essential to track down these violent suspects in South Florida, Central Florida, Kearney, Nebraska, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Mexico City, Mexico. We commend our partners on their professionalism, diligence, and dedication to keeping our nation safe. However, the FBI and our law enforcement partners cannot do it alone. We ask the public to contact law enforcement if they have information about cold cases or any criminal activity. Two-way communication with our communities is vital to our work, and often holds the answers to solving crimes. Together, we will use all tools available and go to the farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who seek to endanger our citizens and society. We will not relent.”

The FBI and HSI have nationwide tip lines for individuals who wish to share information about the MS-13 gang and its activities. The FBI tipline is 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), and the HSI tipline is 1-866-DHS-2423.