Man sentenced to prison for killing teen in dispute over graffiti
A man received a prison sentence of 25 to 65 years on Friday for fatally shooting a teen in the head nearly eight years ago in a dispute over graffiti.
A Clark County jury found Luis Loya, 26, guilty in December of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the May 2014 killing of Angel Campos, 17, in the 3100 block of Chadford Place, near South Valley View Boulevard and West Sahara Avenue.
Campos was on life support at University Medical Center until his death five days later, police said at the time.
Authorities said Campos was part of a graffiti crew called Bombing City Walls, or BCW. He had been having trouble with a rival graffiti group when Loya and a co-defendant, Mauricio Mejia, then 17, approached him. Loya then shot him in the head.
At a sentencing hearing for Loya in front of District Judge Tierra Jones, Clark County prosecutor Rachel O’Halloran described the crime as cold-blooded and senseless.
“He took the gun from Mr. Mejia and not only shot Mr. Campos, but shot him in the head at close range and did not give him a chance,” O’Halloran said. “Over spray paint. Over the fact that the defendant’s friend was in a fight with somebody that … the victim wasn’t even involved in. There was absolutely no provocation in this case and no reason this crime should have occurred.”
When asked during the hearing if he would like to make a statement, Loya replied, “On the advice of my attorney, I have nothing to say.”
Defense attorney Jess Marchese said Loya wants to pursue an appeal of his conviction. The attorney noted that Loya has been in custody 2,262 days.
“He will get out at some point,” Marchese said. “He will be able to contribute to society. He has family support behind him.”
Campos’ mother, Guillermina Leon, and his sister, Estefani Campos, said the shooting has left their family heartbroken.
“I ask you as a mother to please serve justice for my son Angel,” Leon said through a Spanish interpreter. “What Luis Loya did has ended me in this life. I’m practically dead. I’ve had eight years of no peace as a result of what Luis Loya did to my son.”
District Court records show that Mejia has entered a plea in the case, but details of the plea are under seal. He is scheduled for sentencing in District Court on April 29.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.