Father convicted of murdering five infants in Fresno

Paul Allen Perez Sentenced for Murdering Five Children

Paul Allen Perez, 63, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of five of his children. He was convicted on four counts of murder and one count of assault on a child under eight resulting in death on Tuesday.

Details of the Case

A coroner’s report revealed that the infant had been just one month old at the time of death. Perez, originally from California, began his murder spree in 1992.

In 2007, police discovered the remains of an infant in a canal, hidden inside a wine cooler. The baby was found wrapped in a blanket and wearing only a diaper.

A DNA test later confirmed that Perez was the biological father of the infant, identified as Nikko Lee Perez, born on November 8, 1996, in Fresno.

Investigation Findings

Investigators found that Nikko was one of five siblings who had died. The other children included Kato Allen Perez, Mika Alena Perez, and Kato Krow Perez. All five children had the same mother, Yolanda Perez, and were born in Fresno or Merced.

Perez was charged with five counts of first-degree murder in 2020, including special circumstances for torture. At the time of his charges, he was already in prison for unrelated offenses.

Trial and Testimony

During the trial, Yolanda testified about years of abuse and threats from Perez. She stated that the first murder occurred in 1992 when she heard Perez hitting their child Kato. Police allege he murdered four more children shortly after their births, threatening Yolanda if she reported him.

“He said he’d snap my neck, because he can,” Yolanda told the jury through tears. She pleaded guilty to five counts of child endangerment, with the Yolo County District Attorney’s office dropping murder charges in exchange for her testimony.

Verdict and Sentencing

Perez faced court on Tuesday despite being incarcerated for unrelated crimes. He was prosecuted for five counts of murder, one for each child. Deputy District Attorney David Robbins stated, “These children are dead, and they’re dead because Paul Perez killed them.”

The jury found Perez guilty of one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder. They found him not guilty in the fifth case, leading to a mistrial on the involuntary manslaughter charge.

Statements from Officials

Robbins remarked, “The world is a safe place with Paul Perez in prison.” District Attorney Jeff Reisig called Perez’s actions “pure evil” and stated, “The defendant should die in prison.”

Perez pleaded not guilty to the charges and now faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. He will return to the Yolo County Superior Court on April 6 for sentencing.

To date, the remains of only two of the five murdered children have been recovered.

Summary of Charges and Verdict