Raymond Renova

Raymond Renova, a 23-year-old White man and aspiring tattoo artist, was a loving son, brother to seven siblings, and uncle. His family remembered him as someone who loved animals, even keeping a pet iguana. In the years before his death, his stepmother said he had turned his life around, and his family was proud of the man he was becoming. Though he lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, his permanent residence was in California.

In the early morning hours of June 19, 2022, a dispute between two groups at the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas escalated into a fatal encounter. The fight began inside a casino around 2 a.m. before spilling out onto the street near Binion's. Investigators said Raymond Renova intervened after he saw his cousin being attacked and sensed he was in "imminent peril." During the brawl that followed, a handgun was produced. Renova was shot and killed, and an innocent bystander was wounded but survived. Renova was rushed to University Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police identified two suspects in the killing. The first, Fabian Carmona, then 21, was accused of throwing the first punch that initiated the physical fight. He was arrested in July 2022. The second suspect, Ruben Robles, was identified by police as the person who fired the gun. He was 16 years old at the time of the shooting and was arrested days later, just before his 17th birthday. Authorities determined that he would be tried as an adult.

Fabian Carmona pleaded guilty to battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm and was sentenced in April 2023 to a prison term of six to 12 years. Ruben Robles reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in November 2023, pleading guilty to second-degree murder and assault. At his sentencing hearing, Robles told the court, "I'm very remorseful for what happened. I'm ready to do my time and become a better man." In January 2024, a judge sentenced Robles, then 18, to 15 years to life in prison, closing the case.