2 charged in killing of father responding to Craigslist ad

Two suspected gang members were charged in the killing of a man who responded to a Craigslist ad to buy a cellphone for his son, Los Angeles officials said. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office charged Ryan Roth, 17, and Markell Thomas, 18, with murder, attempted murder and two counts each of second-degree robbery with gang enhancements Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported. They are accused of ambushing Rene Balbuena, 41, and his 15-year-old son, whose name wasn't reported, when the four met up for Balbuena to purchase a $300 Samsung Galaxy cellphone from Roth and Thomas, police Det. Chris Barling said. Roth and Thomas allegedly demanded money from Balbuena and pointed a gun at the 15-year-old. When Balbuena got out of his vehicle, Balbuena and his son were shot. The two victims were taken to the hospital where Balbuena died, and his son was treated and released, the Times said. Barling said police connected the shooting to other similar robberies in the area involving a Craigslist ad for the same type of cellphone. "The basic descriptions of the suspects were all the same," he said, adding that Thomas could be responsible for as many as seven robberies in the area from Aug. 2 to Oct. 7.