Suspects in homeless killings remain in custody without bail
A Las Vegas judge ordered two suspects accused in the fatal shooting of two homeless people to continue to be held in custody without bail.
Cristobal Omar Perez, 31, and Kylee Au Young, 21, were arrested Thursday in connection with a shooting on Dec. 1 that left two homeless men dead and injured three others. Au Young appeared in court for an initial appearance on Friday, but Perez was not transported to the courtroom from the Clark County Detention Center.
Hearing Master Daniel Westmeyer ordered the two to continue to be held without bail but said attorneys could present bail arguments at a later hearing. Perez and Au Young are due back in court Tuesday.
Metropolitan Police Department homicide Lt. Jason Johansson has said that Omar Perez was the shooter and that police are working to identify an additional suspect tied to the case.
Johansson said Omar Perez shot the victims “indiscriminately” and in “cold blood” at a homeless encampment near Charleston Boulevard and Honolulu Street.
Timothy Bratton, 57, was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest, and 38-year-old Ashley Burnell died from a gunshot wound to the head at University Medical Center on Dec. 8, according to the Clark County coroner’s office.
Omar Perez faces two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault, conspiracy to commit murder and a weapons charge, court records show. Au Young faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of murder.
Johansson said that police believe the shooting was planned by Omar Perez and Au Young. He said Omar Perez was dropped off in a neighborhood to the north of the crime scene, and then waited for a black SUV to pick him up after the shooting.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.
