Orange County judge rejects Costa Mesa murder case in gang-related shooting

An Orange County Superior Court judge today dismissed murder charges against a 19-year-old man accused in a gang-related shooting in Costa Mesa.

Ryan Ivan Ramos was charged in November with murder with a special circumstance allegation of gang activity and a felony count of participating in gang activity. He also faced sentencing enhancements for a gang member’s vicarious discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury and gang activity.

Following a preliminary hearing this week, Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson ruled there was not enough evidence to bind the defendant over for trial and dismissed the charges.

The shooting occurred about 5:35 p.m. Nov. 10 in the 2800 block of Mendoza Drive, according to police.

Another defendant arrested in the killing of Raymond Gonzalez of Costa Mesa is a juvenile, and his name was withheld by police.

The victim described himself as a union carpenter on Linkedin. His brother, David Gonzalez, said following his death that the 35-year-old was “fatally shot in front of his kids’ home.”

Ramos had been in trouble with the law prior to the November shooting incident. He was convicted in 2022 for his involvement in a second-degree robbery that took place that September, when he was 17 years old.

Neither prosecutors nor the defendant’s attorney, David Scarsone, immediately responded to messages for further comment.

Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.