Las Vegas man who broke into 85-year-old’s apartment, killed her, sentenced up to 68 years in prison

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A man who broke into an 85-year-old woman’s apartment and punched her, leading to her death a week later, was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 to 68 years in prison, according to court records.

Demetrius Walker, 29, agreed to plead guilty to a murder charge in January, records said. Due to the victim’s age, the charge carries a sentencing enhancement.

Walker was sentenced Tuesday to a minimum of 20 years to a maximum of 50 years plus a consecutive term of a minimum of 5 years with a maximum of 18 years for the victim being over the age of 60 with 1,070 days credit for time served, records showed.

Walker, a.k.a. “Pharoah,” broke into 85-year-old Mary Lacella’s apartment in a complex near Sunset Road and Whitney Ranch Drive in April 2021.

Walker repeatedly punched Lacella during the home invasion.

She was able to call the police and answer some questions following the attack, but she was transported to a local hospital and died a week later after suffering from a brain bleed, according to an arrest report.

Walker agreed to speak with the 8 News Now Investigators in 2021 but denied a request to record the conversation.

“I remember looking through cars, and then I remember knocking on someone’s door and asking if I could crash,” he said about the morning of April 21. “I remember knocking on one door and no one answered, and I remember kicking it in. I heard someone scream. I panicked, turned out and ran.”

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