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Maryland woman charged in MS-13 killing at Massapequa Preserve

<p>Christina Campos is now the third person charged in the killing of Julio Cesar Gonzales Espantzay.</p>

News 12 Staff

Sep 29, 2017, 3:17 PM

Updated 2,630 days ago

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Police say a Maryland woman has been arrested and charged in connection with an MS-13 killing in Nassau County.
Laura Christina Campos, 28, is the third person charged in the killing of 19-year-old Julio Cesar Gonzales-Espantzay, of Valley Stream, whose body was found in the Massapequa Preserve in March. 
The 28-year-old was arrested at her Maryland home and brought back to Long Island Wednesday to face second-degree murder charges. Her legal aid did not enter a plea in Hempstead court and she was remanded without bail. 
Police say Campos acted as a lure for Gonzales-Espantzay, promising sex and drugs to the teen at the preserve. Once there, police say he was brutally murdered by MS-13 gang members. 
Carlos Portillo, 22, of Hempstead, and Kevin Granados-Coreas, 19, of Queens, were arrested and charged with murder last month. Detectives say the two suspects intentionally befriended Gonzales-Espantzay around Christmastime in Valley Stream with the sole purpose of killing him later. They say the two killed him "to move up in stature within MS-13." 
Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick says local and federal authorities arrested Campos and extradited her back to New York on Thursday. 
"Any member of MS-13 that leaves, or flees, we will pursue. We will hunt them. We will arrest them. We will bring them back to Nassau County for justice," said Fitzpatrick. 
Nassau police say they anticipate more MS-13 gang arrests in the near future.