Opinion ID: 758679
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Threats from Rival Drug Dealers and Retaliation by La Compania

Text: 24 Carlos Palomino belonged to a rival drug gang from Buena Ventura, Colombia, called Los Canoneros (highjackers or cannoneers in Spanish) that was noted for stealing cocaine and money from rival drug dealers and for killing members of rival gangs. In December of 1987 Samuel Posada-Rios told Espaillat that Palomino had stolen 5 kilograms of cocaine from the Posada-Rios organization and had molested a woman who was guarding the drugs. Samuel Posada-Rios, Espaillat, Pepo Rendon, and other members of La Compania decided to kill Palomino after the Christmas holidays in retaliation and to ensure respect for La Compania. 25 On January 18, 1988, Rios-Castano and Edison Alvarez (a/k/a Motor) were sitting inside the Miami Beat Disco in Houston when Palomino and his girlfriend, Carolyn Tippett, arrived. Carlos Moncado-Rendon testified at trial that Rios-Castano related to him the following account of what happened at the club. Rios-Castano and Alvarez were sitting at the club drinking when Palomino arrived with two women. An argument ensued between Alvarez and Palomino, and Rios-Castano grabbed Alvarez and took him outside. Carolyn Tippett followed Rios-Castano and Alvarez outside and began arguing with Alvarez. Palomino followed Tippett out of the club. When Tippett tried to hit Alvarez in the face he pulled his gun and shot and killed her. During the defense portion of the case Rios-Castano described a similar, but more detailed, version of the Tippett killing. The thrust of both of Rios-Castano 's versions was that Tippett's killing was a personal, rather than business related matter. Tippett's murder was discussed at a subsequent meeting of La Compania members Samuel Posada-Rios, Rios-Castano, Miguel Cardona, and Espaillat. When Samuel Posada-Rios suggested that they should not have killed Tippett, Rios-Castano responded, We killed her, so what. 26 On February 27, 1988, three carloads of Posada-Rios' men (including Miguel Cardona, Rios-Castano, Tumaco, Mikiquito, Moncada, and Pepo Rendon) went to the Thunderdome nightclub to kill Palomino. Although they shot Palomino numerous times as he came out of the club, Palomino escaped with only minor injuries. Robert Torres-Gonzalez (a/k/a Gustavito), a drug dealer who had been with Palomino at the club and who testified at trial, identified Rios-Castano as one of the gunmen, and Rios-Castano later pled guilty in state court of aggravated assault of Palomino. 27 Palomino retaliated on June 26, 1988, by murdering Pepo Rendon at the Miami Beat Disco. Samuel Posada-Rios then told Mikiquito to find out which of Palomino's people had killed Pepo Rendon and where they lived. Mikiquito identified Gustavito and Henry Barahona as Pepo Rendon's killers and identified a house where they could be found. On June 27, 1988, Samuel Posada-Rios, Rios-Castano, Moncado, Mikiquito, and others went to 2703 Skelton to kill Gustavito and Barahona. When they could not find Rendon's killers, they shot up the house, and another house at 11811 Green Lane. 28 On August 7, 1988, Samuel Posada-Rios, Miguel Cardona, Carlos Moncada Rendon, and Rios-Castano finally tracked Gustavito and Barahona to an apartment complex, laid in wait for them to leave, and retaliated for Pepo Rendon's murder. When four people emerged from the apartment, a gun battle ensued; Barahona was killed and Gustavito was shot nine times. Rios-Castano later pled guilty in state court to Barahona's murder. Samuel Posada-Rios bragged to Harold Cortes how Barahona's brain splattered or exploded everywhere. 29 Barahona's murder forced Samuel Posada-Rios to leave the country. Espaillat drove him to Miami, and from there he went to the Dominican Republic, and ultimately to Colombia, where Espaillat delivered $3 million to him. 4 30