Murder suspect pleads guilty

A Clovis man pleaded guilty to murder and other felony charges Friday, three days before he was set to face a jury trial for gunning down Daniel Perez last year in a drive-by shooting.

Louis Guerra

District Attorney Matt Chandler said he accepted a request from Louis Guerra — charged with first-degree murder — to plead to second-degree murder, shooting from a moving vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of tampering with evidence.

Chandler said Guerra faces a maximum of 20 years in prison as part of the agreement and still must face felony charges for allegedly beating the murder victim's brother, Jaime Perez, last month after the two were placed in the same pod of cells at the Curry County jail.

Guerra's attorney, James Klipstine of Hobbs, did not return telephone calls for comment.

Guerra, 31, was indicted Friday by a county grand jury on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and retaliation against a state witness in connection with the jail assault. Chandler said if convicted of the new felony charges, Guerra would face up to 12 more years in prison in addition to the 20 years he now faces as part of the plea agreement.

Sentencing by District Judge Donna Mowrer will likely happen within the next 30 days, according to Chandler.

Court records show at least 11 shots were fired from a semi-automatic gun, one of which struck Daniel Perez in the right side of the head, on April 13, 2011.

Moments before the shooting began, in the 900 block of South Valley Road, witnesses told investigators Daniel Perez threw a beer bottle at a car belonging to Guerra.

Perez died six days later.

Sheriff's officials said the shooting was gang related and stemmed from a fight at Clovis Apartments five hours earlier.