Man gets 6 to 15 years for killing co-burglar

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 | 9:03 a.m.

One of two men facing charges in the killing of a third burglar while the three searched the home for a woman who owed them money was sentenced Tuesday to six to 15 years in prison and a year in jail.

Wiljune Servando previously pleaded guilty to one count each of accessory to murder, conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary while in possession of a firearm in connection with the death of a 31-year-old Priest Branch.

Prosecutors said the 28-year-old Servando, 23-year-old Albert Holguin and Branch entered a home in the 5500 block of Clubhouse Drive near Sahara Avenue and Nellis Boulevard on March 7 to recoup money they said were owed them.

The police said the three gained access to the house because the homeowner left his garage door open. When the owner returned, he found an unknown man dead in his bathroom with a gunshot wound in the forehead. The homeowner ran from the house and called 911.

All three of them had guns when they entered the house. Servando told police that Branch pulled a gun on him inside the house, and he admitted to hearing three or four gunshots but said he didn't fire his gun, the report says. Servando said he saw Branch on the floor of the bathroom, bleeding.

Special Public Defender Tom Gibson said Servando, who had no criminal record, was "generally a good guy, a good kid that just got caught up with the wrong people."

Gibson said if Servando went to trial, the "evidence would show he was not the trigger man and just aided the co-defendant (Holguin) after the shooting."

Gibson said Servando was not part in any plan to kill Branch and instead was simply "hoping to get a piece of the action" when he agreed to join Holguin and Branch in the burglary plan.

Holguin is set for trial on Aug. 8.

Branch's stepfather, Albert Ofoegbu, however, said there was no way his stepson was involved in committing a crime the day he was slain because "stealing and robbery is a sacrilege" to Branch's 72 family members in Nigeria.

"We believe Priest did not go to anyone's home to commit robbery," Ofoegbu said. "He (Servando) knew Priest was going to be killed before they got there. It was a staged robbery to murder Priest (Branch)."