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On May 14, 2025, detectives from the Huntington Beach Police Department’s Investigations Division arrested four individuals in connection with the homicide of 29-year-old Rozzalle Hellens of Anaheim, which occurred in downtown Huntington Beach on September 15, 2024.
At the time, the 5th suspect, Magdaleno Barragan, remained at large. Following an extensive investigation, potential locations for Barragan were identified.
On May 28, 2025, at approximately 6 p.m., detectives from the Special Investigations Bureau observed Barragan in Bakersfield. He was arrested without incident.
Barragan was transported to the Huntington Beach Jail, where he was booked on charges related to the homicide.
- Magdaleno Barragan, 26, Huntington Beach
- PC 187(a) Murder, PC 182(a)(1)/182.5 Conspiracy, PC 186.22(a) Criminal Street Gang Activity & PC 32 Accessory
- Bail $1,000,000
Barragan is scheduled to be arraigned on May 30, 2025.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional details will be released at this time.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call MCU Detective Sergeant Anthony Pham at (714) 878-5640. To remain anonymous, please contact the OC Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227).
Here’s a summary of the investigation and arrests related to the murder of Hellens:
- The crime: Hellens was found with significant injuries outside the Longboard Restaurant & Bar in Huntington Beach on September 15, 2024 and later died at the hospital.
- Barragan’s alleged involvement: He is the fifth suspect arrested in connection to the murder. He was found in Bakersfield and arrested on May 28, 2025.
- Charges: Barragan faces charges including murder, conspiracy, criminal street gang activity, and accessory.
- Arraignment: His arraignment is scheduled for May 30, 2025.
- Bail: His bail is set at $1,000,000.
Other individuals arrested in the same case include:
- Jesus Torres-Martinez, 22
- Roberto Lopez, 25
- Michael Cardoso, 29
- Arnaldo Malaca, 33
When a man is arrested and charged with the listed Penal Code sections in California, especially for a murder in Huntington Beach with the additional charges, he faces extremely severe penalties. The charges indicate a complex case with allegations of premeditation, group involvement, and gang ties.
Here’s a breakdown of the potential penalties for each charge and how they interact:
1. PC 187(a) Murder:
This is the most serious charge. In California, murder is categorized into first and second degree.
- First-Degree Murder: This typically involves premeditation, deliberation, or is committed during the commission of certain felonies (felony murder rule).
- Punishment: 25 years to life in state prison.
- Special Circumstances (PC 190.2): If “special circumstances” are found true (e.g., murder for financial gain, multiple murders, murder committed during a robbery, kidnapping, or other specified felonies, murder of a peace officer, gang-related murder), the penalties become even more severe:
- Life Imprisonment Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP): The defendant will spend the rest of their life in prison.
- Death Penalty: While California has a moratorium on executions, the death penalty remains a legal possibility for special circumstances murder.
- Second-Degree Murder: This is murder without premeditation or deliberation, or with implied malice (an intentional act whose natural consequences are dangerous to human life, and the defendant knew of the danger and acted with conscious disregard for life).
- Punishment: 15 years to life in state prison. Enhanced sentences exist for specific situations, such as if the victim was a peace officer (25 years to life) or the killing involved shooting from a vehicle (20 years to life).
2. PC 182(a)(1)/182.5 Conspiracy:
- PC 182(a)(1) Conspiracy to Commit a Crime: This charge alleges an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, and at least one overt act was committed in furtherance of that agreement.
- Penalties: The punishment for conspiracy is generally the same as the punishment for the target crime.
- Conspiracy to Commit Murder: If the conspiracy was to commit murder, the punishment is first-degree murder penalties, which means 25 years to life, or potentially LWOP/Death if special circumstances apply to the murder.
- Penalties: The punishment for conspiracy is generally the same as the punishment for the target crime.
- PC 182.5 Participation in a Criminal Street Gang: This specific charge is for active participation in a criminal street gang with knowledge that its members engage in a pattern of criminal gang activity, and who willfully promotes, furthers, or assists in felonious criminal conduct by members of that gang.
- Penalties: This is a “wobbler” (can be a misdemeanor or felony). As a felony, it carries 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in state prison and/or a fine up to $10,000. However, in the context of murder, this charge is often used to apply the gang enhancement (PC 186.22(b)).
3. PC 186.22(a) Criminal Street Gang Activity (Gang Enhancement):
This isn’t a standalone crime when charged in conjunction with a felony like murder, but rather a sentencing enhancement that adds significant time to the underlying felony sentence if it’s proven the crime was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang, with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members.
- Penalties (for murder):
- If the underlying felony (murder) is punishable by life imprisonment, the gang enhancement can mean that the defendant will not be paroled until a minimum of 15 calendar years have been served.
- In some instances of violent felonies, it can add 10 years to the sentence. For specific enumerated felonies (which can include murder), it can add 15 years to life.
4. PC 32 Accessory After the Fact:
This charge applies to someone who, after a felony has been committed, harbors, conceals, or aids a principal in that felony with the intent that they may avoid or escape from arrest, trial, conviction, or punishment, having knowledge that they had committed such felony.
- Penalties: This is a “wobbler” offense.
- Felony: 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in state prison and/or a fine up to $5,000.
- Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year in county jail and/or a fine up to $5,000.
Overall Impact and Sentencing:
- Consecutive Sentences: The sentences for these charges, especially the murder and gang enhancement, would likely be imposed consecutively, meaning they are stacked one after another, leading to a much longer overall prison term.
- Three Strikes Law: A murder conviction is a “strike” offense under California’s Three Strikes law. This means that if the man has prior “strike” convictions, his current sentence could be significantly increased (e.g., doubling of sentences for second strike, 25 years to life for third strike).
- Firearm Enhancements: If a firearm was used in the murder, there would be additional significant sentencing enhancements (e.g., 10 years for use, 20 years for discharge, 25 years to life for causing great bodily injury or death by firearm discharge).
- Lying in Wait/Premeditation: The fact he was hiding in Bakersfield after the murder could be used as evidence of flight, which can be interpreted as consciousness of guilt and potentially support elements of premeditation or planning for the murder charge.
- Prosecutorial Strategy: Prosecutors in Orange County (which includes Huntington Beach) are generally aggressive in pursuing serious violent crimes, especially those with gang allegations. They would likely seek the highest possible penalties.
Given the charges of PC 187(a) Murder, PC 182(a)(1) Conspiracy (to commit murder), and PC 186.22(a) Criminal Street Gang Activity (and the likely associated gang enhancement), the man is facing a sentence that almost certainly includes life in state prison, with the possibility of life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) or even the death penalty if special circumstances are proven and sought. The PC 32 Accessory charge would be a separate, lesser offense, though still serious.
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