East Los Angeles, CA – On March 14, the family of David Ordaz Jr. held a protest and a vigil to commemorate the five-year anniversary since David was executed by four East LA Sheriff’s deputies during a mental health crisis.
Gathered at Belvedere Lake Park, David’s family, Centro CSO, along with allies and other impacted families, rallied, then marched to the East LA Sheriff’s Station, before running to Belvedere Lake to hold a vigil for David with a table for candles and pictures to honor his life and demand justice.
On March 14, 2021, the family of David Ordaz, Jr. called 911 to get him help as he was under mental distress and talking about suicide. ELA Sheriff’s deputies – including Remin Pineda, Edwin Navarrete, Jaime Romero and Nathaniel Trujillo – arrived at the scene outside of the Ordaz family home in East Los Angeles.
The ELA sheriff’s station, the home of the Banditos sheriff gang, is known for its aggressive behavior and long history of killing Chicano men. Although they were aware of Ordaz Jr.’s mental state, the deputies gunned him down as his family watched in shock. While the department says that Ordaz Jr. charged at the deputies with a knife, footage recorded by a neighbor shows that he did not pose a threat.
Jazmine Moreno, mother of David Ordaz’s three children, stated, “When the sheriffs responded to the call they immediately drew their guns,” said Moreno, recalling what happened the day David was killed. “With no regard for his life or any of the rest of our family who are standing next to him, these cowardly deputies began shooting rubber bullets and within a second fired live rounds.”
In 2022, former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon charged Pineda with two felonies: assault with a firearm and assault under color of authority. However, Pineda walked free without serving any prison time for Ordaz’s murder. It turned out Mark Arnold, a biased judge who was a former sheriff deputy himself, with a son currently in law enforcement, merely sentenced Pineda to two years’ probation. The judge claimed Pineda “didn’t go out with the intent to kill.” The facts are clear: David was shot already bleeding and lying on the ground. Pineda walked up and fired the final fatal bullet at close range. That was an execution. T
he Ordaz family presented demands throughout the event that included, “DA Hochman or Attorney General Rob Bonta: Reopen the investigation into Deputy Nathaniel Trujillo and Jamie Romero,” and “California Attorney General Rob Bonta: Conduct an investigation into the trial of Remin Pineda for bias. Judge Mark S. Arnold is a former LASD deputy and his son is currently with the Department.”
Stephanie Luna, aunt of 21-year-old Anthony Daniel Vargas who was killed by the East LA Sheriffs in 2018, shared words and condolences on behalf of the Check the Sheriff’s coalition. “We are not only gathered here in the memory of David Ordaz but for the pursuit of justice that his life demanded,” Luna said. Citing Judge Mark Arnold’s background, she continued, “Justice cannot exist when there is a conflict of interest, justice cannot exist where bias is ignored.”
At the kick-off rally, Luis Sifuentes of Centro CSO and Carlos Montes of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke about how David’s killing is an example of the national oppression that Chicanos experience within the Southwest.
Ali Rubinfeld with the Loyola Anti-Racism Center and the Check the Sheriff’s coalition, said, “It is wrong that when the police kill, the criminal legal system seeks out reason to justify their behavior and allows them to act with impunity.” Rubinfield demanded, “We need impartial and independent review of police violence and misconduct that can yield real accountability and justice for impacted families.”
After the speeches, the crowd marched to the East LA Sheriff station chanting, “Jail killer cops,” “Justice for David Ordaz Jr!” “Sin justicia no hay paz!” In anticipation for the crowd, the station set up yellow police lines taped across the perimeter and three squad cars parked with six deputies. Confrontation ensued between the crowd and cops reminding them that justice is still wanting.
The crowd eventually regrouped at the rally point to start the vigil and hear from the families of Jeremy Flores (killed by LAPD in 2025) and David Sullivan (killed by Buena Park PD in 2019), who spoke in solidarity with the Ordaz family.
Five years since that tragic day, the family of David Ordaz Jr have not only fought for justice in his case but also became leading fighters in the struggle against LASD and LAPD terror. His family has led multiple protests outside of the ELA Sheriff’s station, attended with Centro CSO the Second National Conference of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and helped organize the victory of Measure A to bring greater accountability to LASD.
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