Jorge Jose Perez
Russell Sean Hultgren
Sun archives
Two more Henderson teens have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of a man whose body was hidden in the desert and whose truck was burned to try to hide the evidence, Henderson police announced today.
Jorge Jose Perez, 18, and a 17-year-old Henderson male were booked on murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy charges last Thursday in connection with the death of Andrew Duarte, 23, police said.
Perez was booked into the Henderson Detention Center and the other teen was taken to the Clark County juvenile detention facility. The name of the 17-year-old wasn't released because he is a juvenile.
Perez has a tentative court date set for Oct. 11 in Henderson Justice Court and is being held on $930,000 bail.
Meanwhile, a court appearance is scheduled Tuesday for their friend, 19-year-old Russell Sean Hultgren, who was arrested Sept. 27 on charges that he shot and killed Duarte during a drug deal, then dumped Duarte's body in the desert east of Henderson and set fire to Duarte's pickup truck.
Hultgren is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Henderson Justice Court on seven felony charges: murder with a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, arson-third degree, grand larceny-auto and destroying evidence.
Hultgren is being held in the Henderson Detention Center on $900,000 bail.
In an announcement about the additional arrests today, police said that after Hultgren was arrested last week, detectives discovered Perez and the 17-year-old male were more involved in the crime and the cover-up. The pair is also accused of knowing Hultgren went to meet the victim to rob him and knowing Hultgren had a gun with him, police said.
Officers said after the alleged coverup, Perez went into the desert looking for the body to further conceal it.
"However, he became lost and called 9-1-1 to rescue him. It was after he spoke with police, knowing he was in the area of where the body was dumped that he informed investigators of Hultgren’s alleged actions," police said.
After being arrested, Hultgren told police that he had planned to buy 12 ecstasy tablets from Duarte on Sept. 23 in the parking lot of a bar in the 700 block of East Horizon Drive.
However, he said that Duarte, who he knew as "Jason," pulled a handgun and pointed it at him.
"They both struggled with the handgun and Sean was able to point the muzzle of the gun away from him," the police report said. The first gunshot went through the back window and the second and third gunshots were pointed in "Jason's" direction, the police report said.
Perez and the other teen originally cooperated with police, telling investigators about Hultgren's involvement and how they helped in the alleged coverup, police said.
The incident began about 11 p.m. Sept. 23 when Hultgren, Perez and the other teen, arrived in Hultgren's vehicle at the McDonald's parking lot on College and Horizon Drive in Henderson, according to a police report.
Hultgren then got out of his vehicle and walked a short distance to the Hammer's Grill and Bar, 771 East Horizon Drive, police said.
After Hultgren was gone for a few minutes, Perez and the other teen heard three gunshots from the area, according to the police report.
Perez told police he ran to the parking lot of the Hammer's and found Hultgren sitting in the front passenger seat of a white truck.
Hultgren told Perez that he had to shoot the person and claimed it was in self defense. Perez and the other teen said one bullet had passed through the rear window and they later discovered one bullet had passed through the rear driver side door, police said.
Perez told police he noticed that the driver was unresponsive and he saw blood on the driver's arm. Perez and Hultgren ran back to Hultgren's vehicle, where they contacted the other teen, police said.
Then Hultgren told Perez and the other teen they needed to follow him and he was going to drive the victim's truck out of the area, police said.
Police said Hultrgen drove the truck east on Horizon Ridge Parkway from Horizon Drive, where the pavement ended. He then drove the truck with the dead man, Perez and the other teen into the desert area several miles from where the pavement ended, police said.
Hultgren drove to a site in the desert where they dumped the man's body and laid rocks on it to hide it.
Then they drove the truck to Hultgren's vehicle, which was parked in the neighborhood. Perez and the other teen drove Hultgren's vehicle and Hultgren drove the truck to Hultgren's residence, police said.
About 9 a.m. that same morning, Sept. 24, Hultgren decided to drive the truck to Pahrump, where he set it on fire to destroy any evidence, police said.
Perez and the other teen drove Hultgren's vehicle and Hultgren stopped at a gas station, where he bought gasoline to use to set fire to the truck, the police report said.
The three found a location in Pahrump where it was decided that the 17-year-old would stay with Hultgren's vehicle. Hultgren and Perez drove the truck into the desert, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire, police said.
Hultgren was arrested Sept. 27 after Perez and the other teen talked to police. Duarte’s body was recovered Sept 28.
Police ask that anyone with information call the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-4750 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit www.crimestoppersofnv.com. Tips directly leading to an arrest or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.
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