Man, 18, pleads guilty in death of housesitter

Friday, Feb. 11, 2005 | 8:56 a.m.

An 18-year-old man pleaded guilty on Thursday to first-degree murder for the bludgeoning death of a housesitter in northwest Las Vegas.

Michael Paul Fierro pleaded guilty to beating 31-year-old Enrique Martinez-Salas with a toilet tank lid and stabbing him on June 20.

In exchange for his plea, Fierro will not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Fierro is scheduled to be sentenced to 40 years to life on March 24 before District Judge Michelle Leavitt.

Fierro told police he killed Martinez-Salas after a dispute over payment for sex and because "he was so angry with other things that had happened in his life, and he took it out on the wrong person," according to his arrest warrant.

Martinez-Salas was taking care of his cousin's house in the 8200 block of Green Clover Avenue, near Durango Drive and Ann Road, while his relatives took a weekend trip to Disneyland.

The relatives returned home June 20 and found Martinez-Salas dead in an upstairs bedroom.

He had been bludgeoned with two toilet tank covers and then stabbed repeatedly in the face and head.

Police alleged Fierro left a note at the scene saying Martinez-Salas tried to rape him. Fierro, a cross dresser, signed the note "Jane," according to police.

Bloody fingerprints were found at the scene, and the family's white 1999 Acura, a stereo, an X-Box game system and some DVDs were missing from the house.

Fierro was arrested by California detectives after they located the family's Acura.