Illegal immigrant headed to prison for Las Vegas showgirl murder had criminal record in sanctuary state
An illegal immigrant from Guatemala will serve two consecutive life sentences for stabbing to death a Las Vegas showgirl and a Canadian tourist in 2022.
Yoni Barrios murdered Brent Allan Hallett, 47, and Maris Mareen DiGiovanni, 30, during a stabbing spree on the Las Vegas strip in October of that year. He also injured six in the attack.
He was initially deemed incompetant to stand trial and spent nearly two years in a hospital before pleading guilty to the crime in January, according to local reports. He was sentenced Tuesday.
LAS VEGAS STABBING SUSPECT YONI BARRIOS APPEARS IN COURT
Barrios reportedly flew into a rage when a group of showgirls refused to take a photo with him, and pulled out a long-bladed kitchen knife which he used in the attack. He was captured outside the Wynn Hotel minutes later.
According to criminal records, Barrios had prior run-ins with the law in California, but was not removed from the country.
In 2016, he was prosecuted in Riverside, California for dangerous driving and driving without a license, according to reports from immediately after the stabbings. He paid a fine and was released back out onto the streets.
ICE told Fox News Digital that it was never alerted about Barrios' immigration status in 2016.
In 2019, Barrios was charged with domestic violence, but never prosecuted, Fox News reported.
California is a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants, and does not typically cooperate with federal immigration authorities.