SAN ANGELO, TX — Tom Green County avoided the cost of another Capital Murder trial yesterday when 51st District Attorney Allison Palmer struck a deal with Neo Kristofer Perez, the now-18-year-old man accused of being the gunman who murdered two teens on March 26, 2016 in north San Angelo.
According to court records, Perez, who is represented by attorney Randall Stout, appeared in court Tuesday for a plea hearing. Court documents state that Palmer offered 50 years confinement with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with no probation.
Perez was indicted by a Tom Green County Grand Jury in October 2016 with Capital Murder of Multiple Persons for his role in what was reported as a drive-by, though intentional, shooting of Zane Lopez and Juan Guerrero. He was 17 at the time of the murder and had to be certified to stand trial for Capital Murder as an adult, which happened in August of last year.
According to court documents describing the murder that night, co-defendant Nicholas Rodriguez told police that Perez was in the front seat of a vehicle and stood up through the sunroof and shot over the fence using a .40 caliber handgun and a .45 caliber handgun. The gunshots killed both teens. Lopez was 16 and Guerrero was 17 at the time. Guerrero died at the scene; Lopez died several days later in a San Angelo hospital.
There were seven arrested for this murder. Three were adults at the time of the murder, and four were juveniles. One, Nicholas Rodriguez, had his status upgraded to adult subsequently.
Of those accused in the double murder:
- Fred Angel Garcia pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
- Eric Ramos pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
- Gilberto Reyes, 19, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
- Nicholas Rodriguez who was 16 at the time of the murders, is charged as an adult for Capital Murder of Multiple Persons. His trial date has been delayed and he has been out of jail on a $250,000 bond since 2016. He is scheduled for a criminal pre-trial hearing on July 9.
The remaining two are facing charges as minors and not listed here.
Perez was to stand trial on June 4 and jury selection was scheduled to begin June 1 before the plea hearing in Judge Brad Goodwin's 391st District Court May 8.
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Correction: We originally reported this as 50 years, no parole. Court documents actually state 50 years sentence with no probation. The story is updated.
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