What happened to Esmeralda Gonzalez? Suspect sentenced in gruesome killing of Las Vegas model

Christopher Prestipino was sentenced to between 10 and 25 years in prison on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, for brutally killing Esmeralda Gonzalez in May 2019. Gonzalez, who was 24 at the time of her murder, was reported missing in May 2019, and a few months later, police found her body after receiving an anonymous tip. Prestipino was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping last month, and he pleaded guilty to both of them to avoid a life sentence.

Prestipino's former roommate Casandra Garrett also pleaded guilty to the murder and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. According to an affidavit, Christopher and Casandra hired Esmeralda Gonzalez as a pr*stitute. However, they ended up getting her high on methamphetamine. The affidavit also stated that Esmeralda threatened the two and said that she would call the cops for the drugs the two had in their possession.

According to Esmeralda Gonzalez’s brother, the 24-year-old aspired to go to law school.

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Christopher Prestipino and Casandra Garrett pleaded guilty to killing Esmeralda Gonzalez in 2019

As mentioned earlier, Gonzalez was reported missing in May 2019, and police found her body north of Las Vegas, a few months later in October 2019. Law enforcement officials said that they found bones and matched DNA from the bones to Gonzalez.

A few days after they found the remains, on October 12, 2019, they arrested Prestipino for the murder of Esmeralda Gonzalez. He was charged with first-degree kidnapping resulting in substantial bodily harm, conspiracy, and murder.

The aforementioned affidavit also said that while he got the 24-year-old model high, he wasn't aware of her mental health issues. It added that the aspiring model began "acting bizarre and speaking in the devil’s tongue" after she got high. She also threatened to call the cops on Christopher for the drugs that he gave her.

According to the document, she was tied to a chair and asked to calm down. However, Gonzalez punched Christopher Prestipino when he tried to untie her. The document further reads that this escalated and Prestipino strangled her and while he thought she was dead, she woke up within some time.

It was alter discovered that Esmeralda Gonzalez died after she was injected with a pool cleaner by Garrett and Prestipino.

During his trial, Prestipino blamed his former roommate for the murder. He said that his involvement came after the murder and that the death wasn't intentional. However, he noted that he still wasn't sure of the exact cause of the death and stated that he regretted ever meeting Garrett.

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Another lady named Lisa Mort also pleaded guilty in connection to Esmeralda’s death

Another woman named Lisa Mort has also pleaded guilty to accessory to murder. She was sentenced to between two and five years in jail in 2020. Mort tried to warn Prestipino that police were investigating Esmeralda’s death.

The victim’s heartbroken brother said that her death has “shattered his heart forever.” He said that he lives in a world where he only gets to see his sister alive when he is dreaming or reliving the nightmare of her death when he wakes up. He added that his sister continues to be the light that shines within him.

Garrett’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 23, 2023. Christopher’s defense lawyer, Craig Mueller, was contacted by multiple media outlets for his comments on the case but he refused to say anything and just stated that the facts spoke for themselves.

Mueller also added that Christopher pleaded guilty to avoiding a life sentence.