Two brothers get prison term in 2007 slaying

Two brothers accused of taking part in the killing of a 19-year-old man in Las Vegas were each sentenced to five to 20 years in prison Monday.

Clark County District Judge Stewart Bell sentenced Jose Escamilla, 20, and Eduardo Escamilla, 18, to prison in connection with the shooting death of Andre Devoe in March 2007. The brothers pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon.

The crime took place in the area behind the Stratosphere near Sahara Avenue and Industrial Road, often referred to as the Naked City. The neighborhood earned its name because showgirls used to sunbathe topless there, but it's now known for low-income housing and drug activity.

The brothers were in the car when the gunman, Moises Barragan, shot Devoe, authorities said. Barragan, 19, is scheduled to go to trial next year. He is facing first-degree murder charges, said county prosecutor Sonia Jimenez.

The three defendants are members of the Barrio Naked City gang, authorities said.

Devoe wasn't in a gang, said his mother, Dwan Liggins. Devoe, who had a fiancee and an 18-month-old son, worked in telemarketing.

On the day of the slaying, Devoe and two other men were walking to a pawn shop to sell an Xbox game system, a Las Vegas police states.

The Escamilla brothers were in a car with Barragan and began following Devoe and his friends and taunting them, the report states.

Devoe and his two companions sought refuge in a convenience store. Devoe and one of his friends were shot when they left the convenience store. The second victim survived the shooting.

Before the shooting, Barragan and the Escamilla brothers were driving through the Naked City looking to fight members of Brown Pride Locotes, a rival gang, Jimenez said.

Authorities said the defendants didn't mistake the victims for gang members but instead wanted to shoot anyone after they couldn't find the rival gang members.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.