Woman found guilty in MS-13 gang-related teen killing in Montgomery County
Iris Alonzo-Salgado, 24, of Frederick, was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and participating in a criminal organization resulting in death. The victim, Rosa Sánchez Merino, 18, was discovered in a shallow
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A Frederick woman has been found guilty in an MS-13-related murder after a teenager’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Montgomery County in 2023.
What we know:
Judge Theresa Chernosky announced the verdict Friday, Nov. 14, after a bench trial in Montgomery County Circuit Court. Iris Alonzo-Salgado, 24, waived her right to a jury and was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and gang participation resulting in death.
Prosecutors said Alonzo-Salgado and three others lured 18-year-old Rosa Sánchez Merino, who was from the Montgomery County area, from Elizabeth, New Jersey to Olney, Md. in May 2023. Once in a wooded area along Brookville Road, they gagged the victim, forced her to kneel and stabbed her with a machete. Her body was placed in a freshly dug grave and found four months later.
The investigation determined the murder was carried out at the direction of MS-13.
Co-defendants
Roberto Rivera-Delgado previously pleaded guilty to murder and gang charges in July 2024 and led detectives to the burial site. He is awaiting sentencing.
Aracely Abarca-Melgar is also awaiting trial. A fourth defendant, a juvenile at the time of the killing, has not been publicly identified.
What's next:
Alonzo-Salgado faces two life terms plus 25 years when she is sentenced Jan. 21, 2026.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Teresa Casafranca and Gabriel Carrera are prosecuting the case.
The State’s Attorney’s Office credited the Montgomery County Police Gang Unit and Major Crimes Division with helping secure the conviction.
The Source: Information from the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office and Maryland District Court records were used in this report.