On November 1, 2018, police in Springfield, Missouri, were dispatched to a residence located at 906 East Locust Street following reports of gunfire. Upon arrival, officers discovered a chaotic scene where multiple individuals had been shot. Among the victims was 23-year-old male Aaron Hampton, also known to friends and family as Joshua, who was found deceased inside the home. He had suffered fatal gunshot wounds alongside another resident, 38-year-old Steven Marler, who also died at the scene.
Two other individuals at the location sustained gunshot injuries but survived the attack. The violence did not end there, as investigators later discovered a third deceased victim, Sabrina Starr, at her own home on North Oakland Avenue the following day.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Luis Perez, a former roommate of Hampton and Marler who had recently been evicted from the East Locust Street residence. Authorities determined that Perez had returned to the home on the night of the shooting and opened fire on the occupants. It was further alleged that Starr had provided Perez with the weapon used in the initial killings, and that Perez subsequently killed her to eliminate a witness and sever ties to the weapon. The case drew national attention due to revelations that Perez, a Mexican national, had been released from custody in New Jersey months prior despite a detainer request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Law enforcement officers arrested Perez and several accomplices in connection with the crime spree. Perez faced a litany of charges, including three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Hampton, Marler, and Starr, as well as multiple counts of assault and armed criminal action. Two other suspects were also implicated in the case: Aaron D. Anderson was charged with first-degree murder and assault for his alleged role in the events at the East Locust home, while Dalia Garcia faced charges of tampering with physical evidence for reportedly helping to destroy items associated with the homicides.
In October 2022, a jury found Luis Perez guilty on all counts, including the three murder charges. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence detailing how Perez meticulously carried out the executions and attempted to cover his tracks. The families of the victims, including Hampton’s brother, expressed relief at the verdict, describing it as a long-awaited measure of justice. On January 6, 2023, Perez returned to court for sentencing, where a judge handed down five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would remain incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life.
