Downey police denounce exonerations for two men wrongfully convicted of murder

After more than 20 years, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office exonerated two men who were convicted of murdering a 15-year-old on Wednesday. However, exonerations have angered the department that handled the investigation.

"Our commitment to seeking the truth is unwavering," District Attorney George Gascón said. "The exoneration of these two men serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability within our own office and throughout the justice system."

In 2001, a jury convicted Ronald Velasquez Jr. and Abraham Villalobos for the murder of 15-year-old Michael Roybal. It happened on Sept. 2, 2000, when the teenager opened the door of a Downey apartment he was visiting. Initially, the witness told investigators she did not see who was at the door. However, during the trial she positively identified Velasquez Jr. as the shooter and Villalobos as his accomplice. 

Her testimony helped prosecutors secure a sentence of 50 years to life in prison for Velasquez Jr. and 15 years to life in prison for Villalobos. Both maintained their innocence, according to the district attorney's office.

"Ronald Velasquez Jr. and his family worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to demonstrate his innocence, and their pleas for justice fell on deaf ears — until today," Velasquez's lawyer John Hanusz said. "Mr. Velasquez Jr.'s exoneration also would not have been possible but for the pro bono work of private investigator Dana Orent."  

In 2021, Velasquez Jr. filed a claim to the Conviction Integrity Unit that he was wrongfully convicted. With new evidence, the team pinned the murder on another man, Sergio Torres, who was killed in a drive-by shooting a month after Roybal's death. 

Following the announcement, the Downey Police Department denounced the action and said its officers were "disappointed in the District Attorney's decision."

"This case was prosecuted before a jury, which rightfully convicted both Velasquez and Villalobos of murder based on the substantial amount of evidence presented," Acting Chief Scott Loughner said. "Any 'new' evidence that the CIU reviewed does not support a reversal of this outcome."

He added that higher courts have confirmed the convictions.

"The CIU investigation and decision by the District Attorney was not in any respect due to the Downey Police Department's handling of the case," Loughner said.

These exonerations mark the third and fourth in 2024 and the 11th and 12th in Gascón's tenure.