Coroner identifes slaying victim as 14-year-old girl

The Clark County coroner's office on Tuesday identified the slaying victim discovered Sunday morning as 14-year-old Diana Janet Soto of Las Vegas.

Las Vegas police said 19-year-old Juan Rivera was arrested in connection with her death.

The coroner's office did not release the cause and manner of death.

Rivera is being held in the Clark County Detention Center with no bail set on several charges including murder, sexual assault and robbery.

Police said the woman's body was found at 6:48 a.m. Sunday by a passerby in the 4700 block of East Owens Avenue, near Nellis Boulevard.

Detectives reported finding the body of a young female who was dead from possible trauma to the neck and head.

The victim's physical characteristics matched that of someone on a missing persons report, which stated that she had not been seen or heard from since Saturday.

By talking to family members of the victim, they were able to identify Rivera as the suspect, police said.

They did not say what relationship, if any, Rivera had with Soto.

Rivera is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.