Jose Cruz, who became Nevada’s youngest inmate when he was convicted of murder at age 13, has died in prison.
Cruz, 26, was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder for the shooting death of Steve Gale, 27, on California Avenue in Reno in May 2011. The shooting culminated a crime spree that stretched from Carson City to Reno.
Cruz died at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs on Sept. 16, the Nevada Department of Corrections said in a release. No cause was released, and an autopsy was requested.
In 2011, Cruz and three others were arrested after a series armed robberies and other crimes spanning several hours from May 7-8. The spree ended with Gale’s murder.
Gale had been walking home with two friends when Cruz, Jacob Sanchez and his brother Luis Sanchez attempted to steal one of the friend’s purse. Jacob Sanchez, then 21, shot Gale in the back during a struggle.
Jacob Sanchez was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. His girlfriend, Aurora Rodriguez-Perez, then 22, drove the crew to and from the robberies. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in 2012.