Three siblings have reached plea agreements related to the fatal shooting of a man in Las Vegas over a dispute involving $1,000. Janet, Juan, and Christian Juarez each took Alford pleas, meaning they acknowledge that evidence is sufficient for a conviction but do not admit guilt.
Janet and the victim, Anthony Rivero, were parents to an 8-month-old baby at the time of the incident, though they were never in a relationship, as per prosecutors. The child, now 5 years old, has lost his father and is facing the reality of his mother going to prison.
According to court documents, an eyewitness and several text messages played crucial roles in establishing the case against the siblings. The victim’s mother, Maria Rivero, reportedly witnessed her son being shot outside their home on December 8, 2020. She heard an argument and saw a man trying to enter Anthony’s car. As she shouted at him, Anthony attempted to drive away but was shot.
Despite managing to drive a short distance, Anthony lost consciousness and crashed. Meanwhile, Maria saw the male and female suspects drive away in a white GMC Yukon Denali, a vehicle linked to someone associated with Juan.
Prosecutors presented a series of messages exchanged between Janet and Anthony leading up to the shooting, where Janet demanded money and threatened to have her brothers harm him if he didn’t pay. Their communication continued until right before the shooting, with one of Janet’s messages stating, “I need my money or Ima pull up my Bullet,” referring to her brother.
An hour prior to the incident, Janet mentioned she was heading to Anthony’s home. Shortly before the shooting, a male left a voicemail for Anthony asking how to handle the situation.
In the end, Janet received a sentence of four to ten years for voluntary manslaughter, along with an additional four to ten years for using a deadly weapon. These terms will be served consecutively, which could lead to her release in about eight years. Juan was given a similar sentence, while Christian, who fired the lethal shots, received a prison term of ten to twenty-five years.
The attorneys for the siblings did not respond to requests for comments, but during sentencing, they expressed apologies to Anthony’s family. Maria Rivero voiced her grief and anger, questioning how a life could be valued at $1,000 and rejecting the siblings’ apologies.
