Las Vegas authorities have apprehended a man who allegedly persuaded a friend to broadcast himself committing murder so he could observe.
Earlier in the month, a warrant was released for Stefan Jakubov on allegations of tampering with evidence, assisting a felon, and plotting to cause serious bodily harm. Local news station KLAS reported the incident.Two weeks later, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office added charges of murder and robbery to the case.
The charges stem from the August 2023 killing of Aaron Chavez, with Gino Julian, aged 30, also apprehended on August 13 after being found near Chavez’s partially burned body in the California desert.
Investigators determined that Chavez, 30, was fatally assaulted in Las Vegas, leading to an indictment against Julian by a Nevada grand jury.
Investigators revealed that Chavez and Julian had exchanged heated messages before the murder, with Julian allegedly threatening Chavez's life.
Jakubov’s charges indicate he had also been in communication with Julian, discussing the event and potential cleanup methods.
In one exchange, Jakubov advised Julian to 'Break his face' and to erase their conversations, according to Las Vegas Metro police.
A video clip displays what seems to be Chavez’s lifeless body indoors, as well as Julian pouring gasoline over the body in the desert.
In the video, Julian comments, 'What does it feel like to be disrespected? It sucks, right? I almost feel sorry for him. What else did you think was gonna happen, you know?'
Julian reportedly informed authorities that Chavez had amassed a significant sum through a Ponzi scheme, with some victims speaking out about the money they had entrusted to him.
It’s uncertain whether Jakubov or Julian were prey to the alleged scheme.
Jakubov is being detained on a $500,000 bond and will need to surrender his passport if released, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 25.
Julian, on the other hand, is being held without bond and is set to stand trial in May.
[Featured image: Stefan Jakubov and Gino Julian/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department]