Las Vegas Teen Gets Life for Fremont Street Murder

Posted on: January 19, 2024, 06:41h. 

Last updated on: January 19, 2024, 11:12h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

A Las Vegas teenager who shot and killed a man outside Binion’s Gambling Hall in June 2022 has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ruben Robles, Raymond Renova Jr., Fremont St
Ruben Robles, pictured with his lawyer during an earlier court hearing, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last April and will serve at least 15 years before he can be considered for parole. (Image: Rachel Aston/LVRJ)

Ruben Robles was just 16 when he took the life of Raymond Renova Jr., 23. Robles was part of a group that got into a fight inside the casino, which then spilled out into the Fremont St. Experience.

Members of Robles’ group began beating Renova’s cousin, and the latter pulled a knife as he tried to defend his relative, which led to Robles opening fire, according to court documents. A bystander was also shot in the melee, but survived.

Video of the fight quickly went viral, and the incident led to a curfew for teenagers in the area on Friday and Saturday nights.

‘Toxic Culture’

Robles was arrested several days later, along with 21-year-old Fabian Carmona, who was accused of throwing the punch that started the fight. Carmona was sentenced last April to between four years and 12 years in prison for battery with a deadly weapon.

Robles, now 18, was initially charged with murder, attempted murder, and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Last year, he agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder, for which he would serve a minimum of 15 years in prison.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal described the crime as “one of the most senseless” that he’d seen in his career.

“This case is about a toxic culture of juveniles, firearms, and somebody looking for a fight,” Palal said.

Family Proud

Renova’s family described him as caring and creative. He loved animals and owned a pet iguana that he trained to walk on a leash. He aspired to become a tattoo artist. He had spent a year in jail, but had turned his life around, which had made his family proud, his stepmother, Joanne Renova, told the court.

I don’t think Raymond would have gotten involved with anything if it wasn’t somebody from his family,” the victim’s father, Raymond Renova Sr., said. “So it was really him just loving his family and just wanting to be there for his cousin, who was, of course, getting beat down.”

Robles, who was on bail awaiting trial for felony weapons charges at the time of the murder, apologized to Renova’s family before hearing his sentence Thursday.

“I’m very remorseful for what happened,” he claimed. “I’m ready to do my time and become a better man.”