Los Angeles County prosecutors have charged three men with murder and attempted robbery in the tragic shooting death of 22-year-old Latin music artist Maria De La Rosa, known by her stage name “DELAROSA.”
The incident, described as an “ambush-style” attack, occurred early on November 22 in Northridge, leaving De La Rosa dead and two others critically injured.
The suspects have been identified as Francisco Otilio Gaytan, 27, Benny Licon Gomez, 27, and Eduardo Lopez, 21, all of Northridge.
Gaytan and Gomez are being held without bail on one felony count of murder and two felony counts of attempted second-degree robbery.
Lopez remains a fugitive on the run as of Friday morning.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the victims were parked on Bryant Street east of Tampa Avenue around 1:25 a.m. when suspects approached their vehicle in an attempted robbery.
As the victims attempted to flee, the assailants fired multiple rounds, fatally wounding De La Rosa, who later died at a hospital.
Witnesses described the horrifying scene to police, reporting that the gunmen targeted the vehicle in what authorities have classified as an “ambush-style” killing.
“Witnesses described seeing two male suspects approach a vehicle that was parked on Bryant Street. Multiple rounds were fired at several victims who were parked in the area in their vehicle,” LAPD said in a statement.
“This was a ruthless and targeted attack that stole the life of a young woman and artist and inflicted profound lifelong trauma on her family and the two survivors,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty Nathan Hochman in a statement about the case. “My Office will pursue this case aggressively to ensure those responsible are held fully accountable for this senseless and deadly violence.”
The motive appears tied to the robbery attempt, though investigations are ongoing.
If convicted, all three face life in prison without parole.
De La Rosa had released her debut single “No Me Llames” in August and was building a following as both a musician and social media influencer.
JUST IN: Latin Singer DELAROSA murdered at 22 in an ambush style shooting. 2 other victims are in critical condition. Her voice lives on. Keep her music playing. pic.twitter.com/CMga75kANI
— Aaron Dibert (@dibert_aaron) November 25, 2025
Her final Instagram post, a series of studio photos, has since been flooded with heartbroken tributes from fans, including notable condolences from Mexican-American record executive Jimmy Humilde and Juan Moises, the lead singer of Los Gemelos de Sinaloa.
