Jury chooses life in prison for man who killed 2 from Vietnam in Las Vegas hotel room in 2018

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada jury decided Thursday that a man should serve life in state prison with no chance of parole for breaking into a room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino and killing two Vietnamese tour leaders in 2018.

Julius Damiano Deangilo Trotter, 37, was spared a death sentence by the same state court jury that found him guilty on Tuesday of murder, burglary and robbery in the stabbings of Sang Boi Nghia and Khoung Ba Le Nguyen at the Circus Circus hotel.

Defense attorney Lisa Rasmussen said afterward that Trotter and his legal team appreciated the jury decision, but that Trotter will appeal his conviction and sentence “as a normal part of the criminal justice system.”

“I think everyone is grateful that Mr. Trotter was given a life sentence," Rasmussen told The Associated Press. “The jury took the death penalty off the table themselves.”

Jurors issued their decision after testimony from Trotter, his relatives and family members of Nghia and Nguyen, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Trotter was seen mouthing “thank you” to the jury after the verdict was read, the newspaper reported. Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt scheduled Trotter's sentencing Jan. 15. He remains jailed in Las Vegas.

Trotter told jurors on Wednesday that he wanted to be “a positive impact on the people around me, as far as my family, my kids, my mother, my brother and sisters, and so on.”

Nghia, 38, was a mother of three who operated a tour business with her husband in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Nguyen, 30, was one of her employees. Their bodies were found after they did not show up for a tour group trip.

Police said hotel employees later determined the room lock didn’t secure properly, and said it appeared Trotter found it unlocked while walking the hotel hallway and trying door handles.

Trotter was arrested about a week after the killings with his girlfriend, Itaska Dean, following a police chase in Chino, California.

Rasmussen acknowledged that Trotter had a prior criminal record — he was serving five years’ probation at the time of the killings after a felony conviction for resisting a police officer with a weapon. But the attorney said Trotter also had the support of a loving family.

Dean pleaded guilty in California to evading arrest. She was not charged with a crime in the slayings of Nghia and Nguyen, and testified during Trotter's trial.

Trotter also testified, denying he killed Nghia and Nguyen. But police and prosecutors said he was found with items belonging to Nghia and Nguyen including a purse, wallets, a cellphone, jewelry and Vietnamese cash.

The last person put to death in Nevada prison was Daryl Mack in April 2006, for a 1988 rape and murder in Reno. Mack asked for his lethal injection to be carried out.

FILE - Bong Le, mother of a stabbing victim Khuong Nguyen, reacts to the guilty verdict in defendant Julius Trotter's murder trial, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. Comforting Le is Hung Quang Nguyen, husband of a stabbing victim Sang Nghia, second left, and Tuan Trinh. At rear is interpreter Jimmy Tong Nguyen. Trotter was sentenced Thursday, Oct. 31, to serve life in state prison with no chance of parole. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

FILE - Defendant Julius Trotter, a previously convicted felon who is charged with breaking into a room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino and robbing and killing two Vietnamese tour leaders in June 2018, waits in the courtroom for the verdict in his murder trial, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. Trotter was sentenced Thursday, Oct. 31, to serve life in state prison with no chance of parole. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File)

Bong Le, mother of a stabbing victim Khuong Nguyen, reacts to the guilty verdict in defendant Julius Trotter's murder trial, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. Comforting Le is Hung Quang Nguyen, husband of a stabbing victim Sang Nghia, second left, and Tuan Trinh. At rear is interpreter Jimmy Tong Nguyen. ( (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Defendant Julius Trotter, a previously convicted felon who is charged with breaking into a room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino and robbing and killing two Vietnamese tour leaders in June 2018, waits in the courtroom for the verdict in his murder trial, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills joined the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams in advancing to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Allen led the Bills to a 27-24 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first of three wild-card playoff games on Sunday.

The San Francisco 49ers (12-5) took on the Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) in the middle game and the New England Patriots (14-3) will host the Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) in the nightcap.

Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.

The No. 6 seed Bills will wait to find out their next opponent. It's the sixth straight season under coach Sean McDermott that Buffalo has reached the second round of the playoffs.

On Saturday, the NFL playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.

The Bears (12-6) trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.

Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the No. 2 seed Bears, who will host the Rams (13-5) or Eagles next weekend.

In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and the Rams rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.

The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.

Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.

The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.

No. 5 seed Los Angeles will face No. 1 seed Seattle if the Eagles lose to the 49ers.

Bryce Young’s 7-yard TD pass to Jalen Coker put the Panthers ahead 31-27 with 2:43 remaining but Stafford drove the Rams 71 yards in two minutes. Parkinson made an outstanding, tightrope catch for the winning score and the defense held.

Behind coach Dave Canales and improved QB Bryce Young, the Panthers have reason to be optimistic about the future after winning a weak NFC South and nearly pulling off a major upset.

The Packers (9-8-1) finished the season with five straight losses. They were 9-3-1 before All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL in a loss to Denver on Dec. 14.

On Monday night, Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) host DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (12-5).

The Denver Broncos (14-3) are the AFC’s No. 1 seed and the Seahawks (14-3) got the top seed in the NFC. Each team earned a bye and will host the lowest remaining seed next weekend.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)