Guilty Verdict in Murder Trial

District Attorney's Office Releases Results of Prosecution of 2015 Shooting Case

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office announced that a guilty verdict has been secured in a murder trial that began last Monday. The trial concluded yesterday evening when the jury found the defendant guilty of second degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon in connection with an October, 2015 shooting case.  Sentencing is set to take place in June and the defendant faces up to life in prison with the possibility of parole and a consecutive sentence for the use of a gun.

Jonathan Zurisaday Jaramillo, also known as “Sleepy”, 19, from Sun Valley was found guilty yesterday on one count of Second Degree Murder with the Use of a Deadly Weapon in Washoe County District Court. The jury deliberated six hours before reaching their verdict and sentencing has been set for June, 2^nd in Department 7 of District Court.         

The case against Jaramillo began on October 9, 2015 when patrol deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) were called to a report of a shooting at a residence on Igloo Drive in Sun Valley.  When deputies arrived they located 16-year-old Gerardo Reyes who was dead in the backyard of the home.  Reyes had been attending a bonfire at the Igloo address with teenage friends when he was shot once in the back by the defendant.  WCSO Detectives were called to the scene to investigate and “Sleepy” was identified as the shooter by witnesses.  Regional Gang Unit detectives were contacted to assist and determined “Sleepy” was the moniker of Jaramillo, a documented gang member. Gang unit officers located Jaramillo within hours of the shooting in an apartment in South Reno. Officers also located the gun used to kill Reyes, which had been dismantled and hidden in the same apartment. Jaramillo was arrested and this office filed formal criminal charges against him.

At trial the defendant claimed the shooting was accidental. However, Deputy District Attorneys Roy Stralla and Nathan MacLellan argued the shooting was not accidental and established at trial that the gunshot wound to the victim’s back was a contact wound and was fired perpendicularly into the victim’s back, puncturing his lung.  Prosecutors also introduced a series of text messages sent by the Defendant that showed he planned to flee to Mexico and stated that “God left me and the devil took over, so now I have to run.” Prosecutors argued that this statement showed his malicious intent when he pulled the trigger and that the act was committed with a “black malignant heart.” The Defendant testified that he only felt sorry for himself and his girlfriend, as they can no longer start a family together – based on the text messages, she intended to help him flee to Mexico.