Delarosa was gunned down in a suspected gang-related robbery in Los Angeles that left two others wounded and has now led to murder charges against three men.
Maria De La Rosa, who performed under the name Delarosa, was killed early Saturday morning while sitting inside a parked car in Northridge.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the attackers approached the vehicle, demanded money and opened fire. The 25-year-old singer was rushed to the hospital but died from multiple gunshot wounds.
On Wednesday, prosecutors charged Francisco Otilio Gaytan, 27, Benny LiconGomez, 27, and Eduardo Lopez, 21, with one count of murder and two counts of attempted second-degree robbery. Lopez has not been taken into custody and remains at large.
“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,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “My Office will pursue this case aggressively to ensure those responsible are held fully accountable for this senseless and deadly violence.”
The shooting occurred around 1:25 A.M., and authorities believe it was connected to gang activity. The two surviving victims were critically injured during the assault.
Delarosa had just begun to make waves in the Latin music scene. She released her debut single “No me llames” in August, and her death has sparked an outpouring of grief from the music community. Jimmy Humilde and Juan Moises, lead singer of Los Gemelos de Sinaloa, were among those who paid tribute online.
The case remains active as authorities continue to search for Lopez.