What happened to influencer Esmeralda Gonzalez? Details explored ahead of How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body on ID

The latest episode of How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body on Investigation Discovery, titled Sin City Secret, delves into the story of influencer Esmeralda Gonzalez. The episode is set to air on September 11, 2024, at 10:00 pm EST. It explores the events leading to Gonzalez's tragic end, with insights from law enforcement and those who knew her best.

In late May 2019, the disappearance of 24-year-old Esmeralda Gonzalez triggered a massive investigation in Las Vegas. Known for her social media presence, with over 300,000 followers, her life was brutally cut short under mysterious circumstances.

Esmeralda Gonzalez, who had been struggling with mental health issues, was reportedly last seen in a disheveled state. Her family’s frantic search turned into a nightmare when, on October 8, 2019, her body was discovered in a remote desert area outside Las Vegas. The disturbing find revealed her remains encased in concrete within a wooden structure.

The investigation led to Christopher Prestipino, a local stagehand, who emerged as the primary suspect. Detectives reportedly gathered evidence implicating Prestipino, alongside his accomplices Casandra Garrett and Lisa Mort, in the gruesome act.

Esmeralda Gonzalez was reportedly injected with pool cleaner and strangled, which was a horrific sequence of events that ended with her body being concealed in concrete.

---

What did Christopher Prestipino and his accomplices do to Esmeralda Gonzalez?

A representative image of stairs (Image via Unsplash)

On the morning of May 31, 2019, Esmaralda's brother, Juan Gonzalez Madera, visited her home and discovered she was missing. Her house door was unlocked, her car remained in the driveway, and her personal belongings, including her purse and wallet, were found inside the house. This prompted an immediate call to the police, initiating what would soon become a homicide investigation.

On the same day, security footage from a neighbor captured Gonzalez in a state of apparent mental distress. She was dressed in lingerie and high heels, knocking on doors. The sighting was part of the last confirmed activity before she vanished.

Subsequent investigations revealed that her boyfriend had taken her keys and phone the previous day to prevent her from leaving the house due to her unstable condition. However, he was later cleared of any involvement in her disappearance.

The turning point in the case came when an anonymous tipster contacted the police in July 2019. The tipster reportedly accused Christopher Prestipino, a 45-year-old stagehand from the Paris hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, of being involved in Esmeralda Gonzalez's disappearance.

According to the tip, Prestipino and his roommate, Casandra Garrett, reportedly injected Gonzalez with pool cleaner, strangled her, and then transported her body in a U-Haul truck to a remote desert location outside Las Vegas.

Detectives followed up on this lead and discovered that Prestipino had rented a U-Haul shortly after Esmeralda Gonzalez's disappearance. Surveillance footage and cellphone records placed him in the desert on June 8, where he was believed to have spent several hours.

In October 2019, investigators followed directions provided by Garrett under a plea agreement and located a large wooden crate in the desert. Inside, they allegedly found Esmeralda Gonzalez's body encased in concrete, identifiable through DNA testing, and a Rolex watch still on her wrist.

A representative image of the shadow of a hand (Image via Unsplash)

Prestipino was arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder. Court proceedings revealed a gruesome plot to hide the crime by encasing the body in concrete, a method he believed would prevent detection. Garrett and another accomplice, Lisa Mort, were also implicated in the case. Mort was charged as an accessory after admitting to her involvement under a plea agreement.

Garrett, with a history of drug abuse, reportedly cooperated with authorities in exchange for a reduced sentence. She admitted her role in the manslaughter and was sentenced accordingly.

Prestipino had substantial evidence against him, and he entered an Alford plea, acknowledging the evidence without admitting guilt. He received a 10 to 25-year prison sentence.

---

Sin City Secret will air on September 11, 2024, at 10:00 PM EST.