Death, paperwork error delay murder sentencings for two men

A family death and a paperwork error delayed the sentencings Friday of two Carson City men charged in the murder of Adam Wells.

Defense attorney Jason Woodbury said Juan Cervantez Sr., the father of defendant, Juan Cervantes Jr., 21, succumbed to a "long-standing" illness about 10 p.m. Thursday night, 11 hours before his son was to be sentenced on a charge of principal to battery with the use of a deadly weapon.

And Danny Shaw's attorney, Scott Freeman, was given an extension on the hearing after a parole and probation report, which recommends a sentence to the judge, contained an error in calculation and arrived late to Freeman's office.

"Usually I get a report in a very serious homicide case at least a week to two weeks before a case. I got this one on Tuesday, so obviously it forced me to continue the case," Freeman said.

Cervantes Jr. and Shaw, 21, were the final two of five defendants to be sentenced for their parts in the Oct. 5 killing of Wells.

According to court documents, Wells was invited to Danny Shaw's house on the pretext of friendship for a confrontation with Shaw who alleged Wells was stealing from him.

In pleading to principal to battery, Cervantes admitted he had agreed to act as backup for Shaw during the confrontation, and that he was present when Shaw emerged from a bathroom and began beating Wells with a bat. Cervantes also said he witnessed, but did not participate, when Shaw and co-defendant Tyler Cruz held a gun on Wells and tied him up.

Police records and interviews indicate Cervantes left the home before Wells was bound in 84 feet of rope and gagged with duct tape. After some three hours at the house where Wells was repeatedly struck with a bat and wrench, Shaw and Cruz loaded a blanket-wrapped Wells into the back of his truck and drove six miles east into Brunswick Canyon where they left his lifeless body beneath the cover to his truck bed.

Cruz, 24, was sentenced to 20 years to life for second-degree murder. Shaw also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Two others were involved in the case in a lesser degree.

Shaw's roommate Malcolm Young received probation for discarding a pair of shoes Cruz wore during the assault. Young then told his parents what he knew of the assault, and the family went to police.

Shaw's other roommate, Fred Bechtold, 21, was sentenced to two to five years for concealing evidence. He and Cruz buried the wrench and bat, and Bechtold directed Cruz and Shaw to burn their clothing.

A new date of July 25 was set for Cervantes Jr.'s and Shaw's sentencings.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.