Man who killed Las Vegas homeless people may face new case after 3rd victim dies
A judge ordered a sentence of 40 years to life in prison for a man who fatally shot two homeless people and is expected to be charged in connection with a third victim who died just before his sentencing.
Cristobal Omar Perez, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder on the day his trial was set to begin in February.
Police said Perez fired 14 shots “indiscriminately” and in “cold blood” at a group of homeless people, most of whom lived in tents at Honolulu Street and Charleston Boulevard.
Timothy Bratton, 57, and Ashley Burnell, 38, died as a result of the Dec. 1, 2023, shooting. Three others were wounded.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed Perez would receive a sentence of 20 years to life on each count of murder, and District Judge Carli Kierny followed the deal at a Tuesday hearing.
At the time of the plea, Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani said a third victim, Jim Rosa, was “close to death.” Rosa died Sunday, according to Giordani and defense attorney Jess Marchese.
“It was a tragic delayed death and we intend to proceed with prosecution like it was any other murder,” said Giordani.
Perez is fine with the situation, Marchese said. “He understands he’s probably never getting out.”
The Metropolitan Police Department said in an arrest report that Perez was trying to “protect his family” after someone tried to break into his sister-in-law’s home.
She told him she spotted a man at a gas station across from a homeless encampment who looked like the would-be home invader and Perez decided to confront the man, according to the report.
Police said Perez had his girlfriend, Kylee Au Young, meet him blocks away in a getaway vehicle. According to court records, Perez was not supposed to have a gun because of a 2014 conviction for attempted lewdness with a child under 14.
Young’s case is still pending; she faces two counts of open murder and a count of conspiracy to commit murder.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.
