Merced man convicted of murder in 17-year-old gang slaying

More than 17 years ago a 26-year-old Los Banos man with ties to a Norteno street gang went with a group of friends to Merced to meet girls and have a good time.

Franciso Gonzalez “didn’t know it,” but when he and his friend met up with another group March 26, 2000, in the parking lot of a South Merced apartment complex near First and S streets, they were in the heart of a neighborhood known at the time as “Crip territory.” Gonzalez was unarmed when he was shot dead by two men, according to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office.

“That seems to have been the only real issue, the (blue vs. red) problem,” said Matthew Serratto, deputy district attorney.

The main suspect in the case, Vong “Launny” Phomvilay, who was 23 at the time, was arrested and spent about six months in jail in 2000 awaiting trial.

“They were standing there in the parking lot when the defendant and another man — who is still unidentified — came up on them and each fired one round,” Serratto said.

Investigators said Phomvilay fired a shotgun and the other man fired a handgun.

Phomvilay was released when two key witnesses vanished and the case essentially fell apart without them.

More than 15 years later, Merced police detectives tracked down those two witnesses and Phomvilay was arrested again. This time, the case went before a jury in Merced County Superior Court.

“There wasn’t really any new evidence,” Serratto said. “It was (the testimony) from the witnesses.”

After 17 years, the jury deliberated for only about two hours before they handed down a guilty verdict, convicting Phomvilay, now 40, of murder.

Phomvilay, after he was released in 2000 in connection with the slaying, remained in Merced and was in and out of police custody on a variety of mostly drug-related charges and parole or probation violations.

Serratto praised the work of the Merced Police Department detectives. “I hope people are comforted knowing their detectives continue to pursue all homicide cases relentlessly,” he said.

Phomvilay faces 40 years to life in prison when he is sentenced July 21 by Judge Ronald W. Hansen.

He remains in custody without bail at the Merced County jail.

This story was originally published June 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Merced man convicted of murder in 17-year-old gang slaying."