A California man facing the death penalty in connection with 2 January homicides was indicted on Friday in connection with a 3rd killing east of downtown Las Vegas.
Jesus Gonzalez, 42, had previously been charged in the fatal shootings of 37-year-old Ashleigh Figearo and 39-year-old Jose Soto.
On Friday he was indicted in connection with the fatal stabbing of 61-year-old Cynthia McClelland, who was found dead inside a burning apartment on the afternoon of Jan. 9.
All 3 victims were found dead in a span of less than 24 hours in and around the downtown area.
In March, prosecutors filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Gonzalez, court records show. His defense attorney, Ozzie Fumo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Gonzalez now faces 2 charges of murder with a deadly weapon, murder with a deadly weapon against a victim 60 or older, arson, robbery with a deadly weapon against a victim 60 or older, kidnapping with a deadly weapon against a victim 60 or older, and 2 counts of residential burglary, court records show.
The 1st victim, Figearo, was found dead with a gunshot wound to her head at about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 in her kitchen on the 200 block of North 17th Street, court records show. Gonzalez is accused of entering Figearo’s house with a firearm in order to burglarize it, court records show.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report, Gonzalez knew Figearo always left the back door of her house open.
Soto was then found dead, lying in the street with gunshot wounds, just before 3 a.m. Jan. 9 on the 1800 block of Franklin Avenue, less than a mile from Figearo’s home. Police have said Gonzalez chased Soto up the street before shooting at him.
A Metro detective testified during a preliminary hearing in February that Soto was believed to be homeless, court records show.
On Jan. 9, firefighters were called to McClelland’s home on the 3800 block of East Charleston Boulevard, about two miles from where Soto was found dead. In April, the Clark County coroner’s office determined McClelland had died after being smothered and stabbed multiple times, and that her death was a homicide.
Gonzalez is accused of entering McClelland’s home in order to burglarize it, and taking a cell phone from the woman, according to the indictment filed Friday. He is also accused of setting fire to the apartment.
During the preliminary hearing in February, Gonzalez’s friend said that Gonzalez had been living in California but was visiting Las Vegas for his brother’s birthday.
The woman testified that she agreed to let Gonzalez borrow her car on Jan. 7, according to transcripts of the hearing. She reported the car missing when he didn’t return it to her the next morning.
The car and a stolen gun helped police tie Gonzalez to the fatal shootings, according to an arrest report.
Gonzalez remained in the Clark County Detention Center on Friday without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday.
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Staff, July 8, 2023
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