Wilbur Martinez-Guzman

The 2019 Nevada killing spree was a series of murders in January 2019 in which an assailant broke into three homes in Douglas and Washoe Counties in northwestern Nevada, murdered the elderly inhabitants, and made off with valuables. Reports of the crimes terrified area residents for several days until a police manhunt identified and apprehended Wilber Ernesto Martinez-Guzman. The sheriff's report states that Martinez-Guzman later confessed.

Killings A region-wide manhunt began after Connie Koontz, age 56, was found dead in her Gardnerville home on January 10, 2019. Sophia Renken, 74, was found shot to death in her home in Gardnerville on January 13. Gerald and Sharon David, 81 and 80 respectively, were found dead in their home in Washoe Valley, which is south of Reno, on January 16.

The manhunt continued for nine days. Information obtained through tracking an Apple Watch, which had been stolen from Koontz, led to a Carson City woman who had attempted to connect a digital account to the watch; her son Wilber Ernesto Martinez-Guzman was arrested and charged with the murders. The following day, jewelry belonging to Koontz and a ring belonging to Gerald David were found at a Carson City pawn shop.

Martinez-Guzman, then 19 years old, was living in Carson City for approximately a year and a half. He is a citizen and national of El Salvador who entered the United States by illegally crossing the US/Mexico border several years earlier.

Legal proceedings Following the killings, Martinez-Guzman was detained on an immigration hold. According to immigration officials, Martinez-Guzman "was likely in the United States illegally and was detainable."

Martinez-Guzman currently has his trial set on all four murder charges in Washoe County for late 2021.

Martinez-Guzman appeared in court on January 23, 2019, where he was charged with possession of stolen property, burglary, and obtaining money under false pretenses.

In February 2019, Martinez-Guzman waived his right to a preliminary hearing and a judge approved his transfer to Washoe County where he is held without bail to face prosecution for four murders. Prosecution in Carson City for 26 burglary and possession charges was placed on hold.

Martinez-Guzman's trial was scheduled for April 2020, and was later delayed to August 31, 2020, and was later delayed again to September 20, 2021. Prior to Martinez-Guzman's guilty pleas, prosecutors planned to seek a death penalty for the suspect.

At a hearing before a grand jury in March 2019, a detective stated that Guzman had told police that he robbed and killed his victims because he needed money to buy meth.

On October 21, 2021, Martinez-Guzman pled guilty to the murders of Gerald and Sharon David.

On November 9, 2021, Martinez-Guzman pled guilty to the murders of Connie Koontz and Sophia Renken.

On February 28, 2022, Martinez-Guzman was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, an additional 36 to 90 years in prison and $40,000 in fines for the crimes against Gerald and Sharon David.

On March 3, 2022, Martinez-Guzman was sentenced to two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of Connie Koontz and Sophia Renken.

Reaction On January 21, 2019, President Donald Trump tweeted, "Four people in Nevada viciously robbed and killed by an illegal immigrant who should not have been in our Country. 26 people killed on the Border in a drug and gang related fight. Two large Caravans from Honduras broke into Mexico and are headed our way. We need a powerful Wall!" Three close family members of Sharon and Gerald David were invited to Washington, D.C. to attend the 2019 State of the Union Address.