Opinion ID: 4553375
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Murder of Robert Lara

Text: In 2001, Jay Negrete, a member of the San Antonio Bandidos chapter, was shot and killed. At the time of Negrete’s death, Portillo was president of Negrete’s local chapter. Magenta Winans learned that Robert Lara was responsible for the killing, and she reported the tip to the club. Portillo instructed a group of Bandidos members, including Richard Merla, to “take care of” Lara. Merla and several other Bandidos lured Lara to a park, where they were told to wait for Portillo to give them the order to kill Lara. Once they got the order, they shot Lara at least twelve times. They did not stay on the scene to see if Lara was “moving or if he was dead or alive.” They got back in their truck and drove to the home of Portillo’s brother, who was a member of a Bandidos support club. Lara was later found dead by the police. When Merla next spoke with Portillo, Portillo told him that he could never talk about Lara’s murder. Merla gave Portillo the gun used to shoot Lara, and Portillo burned it with a torch. Merla and the other Bandidos were awarded “Expect No Mercy patches,” which were intended to honor members who “drew blood or shed blood for the club.”