Teens joked on video about murder days before being arrested for parent killing
Prosecutors are said to be considering whether to seek death penalty for 18-year-old boyfriend
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A video filmed by two teens from Nevada shows them talking about three days having passed since “murdering somebody”. The footage is now evidence in a murder case against the teenagers after one of their fathers was found dead.
Aaron Guerrero, 18, and Sierra Halseth, 16, have been charged with the murder of Ms Halseth’s father, Daniel Halseth. The 45-year-old’s body was found on 9 April.
The father was found stabbed to death and his body burned in a house fire that authorities think was set by the teen couple.
They also face eight other charges, such as conspiracy to commit murder, arson, credit card fraud, and robbery. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, court documents indicated that after discovering their plan to run away to Los Angeles, the couple’s parents had forbidden the two from seeing one another.
KLAS reported that in the days leading up to the body being found, both Mr Guerrero and Ms Halseth were caught on surveillance video in stores buying items such as a circular saw, bleach, lighter fluid, and disposable gloves.
Police think the couple attempted to dismember the body. Law enforcement officials told Fox 5 that they found “apparent blood and tissue” on the saw.
The couple was arrested in Salt Lake City in Utah on 13 April after being stopped by transit officers as they got off a light rail in the downtown area without paying for tickets. The officers found that the teens were wanted in Las Vegas after running a background check, KSNV reported. Police found a blanket stained with blood in the trunk of their car.
While going through their cellphones, police found a video in which Mr Guerrero says: “Welcome back to our YouTube channel: day three after murdering somebody.”
“Whoa, don’t put that on the camera,” Ms Halseth responds in the video while laughing.
“It was worth it,” Mr Guerrero says as he pretends to choke Ms Halseth.
The teenagers have been sent back to Las Vegas and are scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Ms Halseth’s age will see her tried as an adult under Nevada law, but she will be exempt from the death penalty, 8newsnow reported.
Prosecutors are said to be considering whether to seek the death penalty for Mr Guerrero.
Sierra Halseth’s mother, Elizabeth Halseth, is a former Nevada state senator. She previously divorced Mr Halseth and has since remarried. She has not spoken publically about her ex-husband’s murder.
The Halseth family issued a statement, obtained by KLAS:
“Daniel Halseth was first and foremost a loving father, brother, and son, who was the heart of the Halseth family.
“To have him taken from us in such a horrific, savage, senseless, and violent act of murder leaves us heartbroken, and our grief is unyielding. The total lack of remorse on display in the video is both reprehensible and unforgivable.
“While we are grateful for the work of the detective and the district attorney, we are waiting for justice to be served with the maximum accountability allowed.
“We loved Dan very much and we miss him every moment of the day. This is the only statement we will be making and ask for privacy and understanding.”