Caesars Palace Murderers Sentenced to at Least 10 Years in Prison

Posted on: January 23, 2025, 06:04h. 

Last updated on: January 24, 2025, 09:07h.

The duo who robbed and fatally shot a man in a guest room at Caesars Palace Las Vegas were sentenced on Thursday. Both will spend at least a decade behind bars.

Erika Covington and Arionna Taylor,
Erika Covington, left, and Arionna Taylor, pictured above in mug shots. The two were sentenced to prison for a hotel murder. (Images: LVMPD)

Under a plea bargain, Erika Covington, 21, and Arionna Taylor, 22, were given the sentence by Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones for the May 15, 2023 murder.

The minimum they will serve in prison is 10 years. The maximum is 25 years.

The two women both were found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the shooting of Bryan Altamirano-Solano, 25. They also stole his wallet.

Man Met Women in Hotel’s Valet Area

The incident began when Altamirano-Solano met the two women in the hotel’s valet area. A short time later, at about 2:30 a.m., the trio went up to room 535.

Minutes later, Covington and Taylor ran out of the room and into a hallway carrying Altamirano-Solano’s bag. Eight hours later, a housekeeper found the victim’s lifeless body in the guest room.

Altamirano-Solano died from a single gunshot to the left chest, according to an autopsy released by the Clark County coroner’s office. The death was ruled a homicide. Authorities later matched a bullet casing found in the hotel room to a bullet found during a Las Vegas South Pecos Road domestic violence incident, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Taylor was a victim in that incident.

Covington and Taylor were identified by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers as suspects in the case. The suspects were identified through photos on Taylor’s Instagram account, hotel surveillance video, and the casing.

They told officers they didn’t remember the night’s events, according to Las Vegas TV station KSNV. Later, they were booked on several charges, including murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Since then, they were held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.

It’s unclear which of the women pulled the trigger on the gun.

Victim’s Family Demanded Justice

The victim originally was from Nicaragua. His relatives demanded justice.

It wasn’t enough just taking his belongings, they had to kill him,” Altamirano-Solano’s father, Victor Altamirano, told the judge on Thursday. “I ask for justice for my son.”

Nelly Altamirano, the victim’s mother, also spoke to the judge, but via a remote camera.

“The pain that I felt was so deep,” Nelly Altamirano said. “I felt like I just lost my life. I had so many questions. Why? Why my son?”

Covington offered a brief statement before the judge announced her sentence.

I would like to send my condolences to Brian’s family,” Covington, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. “I deeply, genuinely apologize for the grief and the pain that’s been brought to you guys’ family.”

Taylor didn’t say anything in the courtroom.