Vera sentenced in Marine murder trial
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — After nearly three hours of deliberation, a jury has determined sentencing for the man found guilty of killing a Marine and assaulting two other service members during a fight at the Whiskey River Saloon in 2022.
On April 10, Ray Vera was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Staff Sgt. Bryce Rudisell. He was also sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against Staff Sgt. Devin Casey with a knife and 20 years for the aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Cauwel.
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During the next phase of the State of Texas vs. Ray Vera trial, the state called San Angelo police detective Jason Chegwidden and detective Charles Baker to testify about other items found within Vera and Raymond Scott’s home during a search warrant that was conducted. These items indicated their affiliations with the Bandido motorcycle club and their support club, the Jinetes.
The state then called up Abilene Police Department’s Jerimiah Torrez who previously worked in APD’s Street Crime Unit. Torrez informed the jury of the history of the Bandidos, which were formed by a US Marine in 1966 who was stationed in Vietnam. The club was formed as a method of fostering brotherhood but grew into what the detective described as a “global criminal enterprise.” The support group, the Jinetes, is not made of Bandidos. Instead, the group provides support and security to the Bandidos.
San Angelo has one Bandidos chapter with a Jinetes chapter.
In cross-examination, Torrez shared he had the knowledge that Vera was a member of the Jinetes in the past. The Jinetes are not technically listed as a gang in the Texas database. Torrez explained that Vera was a member of the Jinetes, serving as the group’s Sergeant at Arms in the San Angelo chapter. All of Vera’s co-defendants are also known by APD to have been members of the Bandidos or Jinetes.
Torrez also shared that it is possible for members to stop their affiliation with the Jinetes or Bandidos. Typically, when people stop being members they stop wearing gang-affiliated clothing and hanging out with current members.
During cross-examination, Torrez shared that the main article of clothing that must be returned to the gang or support club when a member wishes to leave is known as the “cut,” or a leather vest with various patches that signify one’s membership and position within the group.
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Following Torrez, Cauwel was called to the stand to testify. Cauwel shared that the group was out celebrating his birthday and that he had been accepted into the Green Berets, making him a Sgt. 1st Class.
“I don’t celebrate my birthday anymore,” he told the jury. “That’s his [Rudisell’s] day, not my day.”
Cauwel went on to describe how the night of Oct. 2, 2022, affected him. He shared that he has nightmares, fears when he is out in public and sees motorcycles, dislikes going to bars and has a fear of day-to-day life.
“We all feel like it should have been any one of us, not him,” Cauwel said. “I’m sure he would have said the same thing if it was one of us.”
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Rudisell’s mother, Tiffany Strickland followed Cauwel on the stand. Strickland shared that Rudisell was going on eight years in the Marines and excelled at what he did. She described his infectious smile and how hard their son’s death has been on Rudisell’s father.
“We don’t get to have him back and he doesn’t get to have his life,” she said. “I don’t think anyone that does something like this should have theirs either.”
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Vera officially broke his silence by getting up on the witness stand during the trial on April 10. He shared that “everything was happening so fast,” when the fight broke out at Whiskey River Saloon.
Vera shared that he didn’t start the first fight that happened within the bar but joined in after seeing his wife was involved. He then attempted to dance away with his wife when the fight began.
Despite stating that he brought a switchblade, later determined to be the murder weapon, to the bar, Vera shared he forgot he had it on him and that he had used it for work.
Vera also informed the jury that he was previously part of the Jinetes biker club for two years before the fight but had left because it was not for him.
“I’m sorry, I overreacted, everything was happening so fast,” Vera said. “From the bottom of my heart. I know the family has to deal with this and I do too.”
Murder trial in Marine’s stabbing death starts Monday
Serena Morales took the stand after Vera, testifying to the love and care that he gave her, her brothers and her mom since meeting him at age 13.
“My dad is a loving, caring dad. He’s a protector, a provider,” Morales said. “He’s not the horrible person you’re portraying him to be.”
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