Posted on: April 27, 2023, 12:01h.
Final up to date on: April 27, 2023, 12:19h.
A Las Vegas man who pleaded responsible to kidnapping and homicide costs will spend anyplace from 10 to 25 years in jail for the ugly dying of a 24-year-old mannequin.
District Decide Carli Kierny introduced the sentence on Tuesday to defendant Christopher Prestipino, 49, who pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide and first-degree kidnapping on March 13 beneath the Alford doctrine, the place he maintains his innocence however acknowledges prosecutors doubtless have adequate proof for a conviction.
Prestipino should additionally pay $4,909 in restitution, in line with the decide’s sentence.
All through this course of I haven’t recognized a lot about her, and she or he appears like an exquisite individual,” Decide Kierny instructed the sufferer’s brother in courtroom. “I’m so sorry that you simply misplaced her on this approach.”
Prestipino killed Esmeralda Gonzalez in Might 2019 and, the next month, discarded her physique in a 250-gallon water tank lined with concrete and wooden, in line with the Las Vegas Assessment-Journal.
The physique was left within the desert north of Las Vegas. 5 months later close to Glendale, Nev. the physique was found by police.
Gonzalez’s arms have been tied and her head and neck have been lined with white tape, Individuals reported. The physique was lined by blankets and an post-mortem did not determine the reason for her dying.
Prestipino and two different suspects have been arrested in reference to the homicide.
My involvement was after the actual fact,” Prestipino stated Tuesday throughout the courtroom continuing. “I don’t imagine this dying was intentional, however just like the health worker, I nonetheless don’t know the precise explanation for dying. I do remorse ever assembly the co-defendant.”
Craig Mueller, the Las Vegas-based felony protection lawyer representing Prestipino, instructed the Assessment-Journal his consumer agreed to the plea deal as a result of “He didn’t wish to threat a life sentence.”
Two Different Suspects
One of many different suspects within the case, Lisa Mort, who was recognized as Prestipino’s one-time girlfriend, assisted Prestipino within the crime, police stated. She was charged with harboring, concealing, and aiding a felony offender. One other lady, Cassandra Garret, Prestipino’s roommate, was additionally charged.
Mort plead responsible in 2020 to being an adjunct to homicide and was sentenced to between two and 5 years in jail. Garret plead responsible in 2021 to voluntary manslaughter and will probably be sentenced subsequent month.
Wore Excessive Heels, Lingerie
Gonzalez, who had hoped to in the future attend legislation college, lived close to Prestipino. Gonzalez was seen on surveillance video exterior Prestipino’s residence on Might 31, 2019, carrying excessive heels and lingerie, and showing disoriented, in line with the New York Publish.
She went to his residence the place Prestipino gave her methamphetamine (meth), in line with Las Vegas TV station KTNV.
She began to behave “weird” and converse “within the satan’s tongue,” a police report revealed. Prestipino tied her to a chair. He then strangled her and apparently injected a pool-cleaning substance into her physique.
Gonzalez was related to the grownup leisure trade, the Assessment-Journal reported. She had greater than 300K followers on Instagram.
Gonzalez grew up in Mexico and had attended UNLV, Individuals reported.
