Santa Ana gangbanger gets life in prison without parole for killing an innocent man

Alexis Ascencion, a 25-year-old Santa Ana resident, was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the gang-related fatal shooting of a man outside an apartment complex in Santa Ana that happened six years ago.

Ascension was convicted on Feb. 15 of felony charges of first-degree murder and participating in gang activity, with special circumstances of gang activity and sentencing enhancements for discharge of a gun causing death.

Asencion’s co-defendant, Felix Martinez Vargas of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2022, to voluntary manslaughter and his sentencing is still pending.

Both suspects were charged in connection with the killing Mariano Labra Ramos, a 36-year-old Santa Ana resident, on Dec. 1, 2017. Authorities said Ascencion mistakenly though Ramos was a rival gang member.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King further stuck it to Ascension by adding an additional 25 years to life in prison to his life without parole sentence.

Judge King also punted a request from Ascencion’s attorney to waive a prior strike to lessen the punishment.

King described Asencion’s criminal actions as “payback.”

Judge King also purported that Ascencion drove into rival gang territory and randomly selected a victim. King also said that Ascension’s actions were intentional and there was no justifiction for it. He deemed the case to be “aggravated.”

Judge King decried the shooting as being a “senseless act of violence.” and he said the shooting was done “to show strength of Ascension’s gang.”

Ascencion’s innocent victim Ramos “was going out to get salt to make dinner for his wife, who was blind,” Judge King said. The couple had a “healthy marriage” and Ramos was the main provider, according to Judge King.

Judge King is not done with Ascension. He has scheduled a June 28 hearing to consider if Ascension can be ordered to provide restitution out of his earnings as an inmate.

Vargas testified in Ascencion’s first trial in July of 2022. A mistrial was declared when jurors deadlocked 11-1 in favor of guilt. That means one ridiculous juror thought Ascension was not guilty!

The defendants, along with two boys, ages 15 and 16, drove into rival gang territory when they saw two men in front of an apartment complex between 1913 and 1909 W. Myrtle St., according to the prosecutors in a trial brief.

Ascencion asked Vargas, the driver, to stop before Ascencion jumped out and opened fire on the innocent victim, wounding him in the leg with two shots, according to the prosecutors.

A bullet struck a main leg artery and Ramos, who had no gang ties, quickly bled to death, according to the prosecutors.

Ascencion ran like a coward back to the car and the gangbangers then fled the area.

Police found the vehicle involved in the shooting just before 9 p.m.that night and stopped the driver.