RENO, Nev. (AP) - A Sparks man has been convicted of killing a 26-year-old woman who was found shot to death in a car that crashed in southeast Reno in November 2017.
A Washoe County District Court jury found Richard Silva guilty of first-degree murder late Friday.
The same jury that convicted Silva sentenced him Tuesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 20 years for the killing of Luz Linarez-Castillo of Sparks. He faces up to an additional 20 years at his sentencing May 6 on a deadly weapon enhancement.
People were interested in these podcasts
The victim had three young children and was pregnant at the time of her death. Reno police say Silva was her brother-in-law from her estranged marriage.
She was shot multiple times in the head in a vehicle that crashed into an apartment building.
Reno police arrested Silva and his 20-year-old nephew, Yiovannie Guzman of Sparks, as suspects in the killing. They originally believed Silva recruited him in a plot to kill Linarez-Castillo but later determined Guzman drove Silva to the murder scene.
Guzman pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to commit murder and battery with a deadly weapon. He faces up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing April 22.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.