Where are Christopher Prestipino, Casandra Garrett and Lisa Mort today?

In the “Sin City Secret” episode of Investigation Discovery’s “How Not To Get Rid Of A Body,” viewers are treated to a detailed account of the disappearance and gruesome murder of influencer Esmeralda Gonzalez. After several months of investigation, her body turned up in an unconventional and disturbing manner. As investigators track down the suspects, the victim’s loved ones hope to get justice for her. The episode also features insightful interviews with Esmeralda’s family and friends, who discuss the aftermath of her unfortunate death in 2019.

Esmeralda Gonzalez was missing before her body was found in the middle of nowhere

Esmeralda Gonzalez was an ambitious and determined woman from a young age and her competitive spirit was unmatched. Whether it was beauty pageants or chess competitions, she participated and always stood out. Born in 1995, she grew up in the historic Westside neighborhood of Las Vegas alongside her loving brother Juan Gonzalez Madera. Growing up in the age of social media, she made the most of the platform and became an influencer. Esmeralda had her whole life ahead of her and a bright future ahead of her.

In 2019, Esmeralda struggled with mental health issues, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. When her brother Juan came to her home to check on her on May 31, she was nowhere to be found on the property. What struck him as suspicious, however, was the unlocked door, her car parked in the driveway, and her belongings still inside the house. Concerned about her sister’s well-being and whereabouts, he notified police of the situation.

When police arrived at the missing woman’s residence, they found it quite messy, a sign that she was not taking her medication for her mental health issues. After several months of investigation, law enforcement received a tip that led them to the desert outside of Glendale, Nevada on October 8, 2019. A body was found in a 250-gallon water tank, later identified as Esmeralda Gonzalez. Despite examining her body, the cause of death remained undetermined.

During the investigation into the disappearance of Esmeralda Gonzalez, several suspects emerged

When Esmeralda Gonzalez was reported missing, police searched the entire neighborhood where she lived and interviewed neighbors and possible witnesses for clues in the case. Thanks to surveillance footage from their neighbors, they learned that she was wearing lingerie and high heels and appeared mentally disturbed before she disappeared in the early hours of May 31, 2019. When investigators discovered that she and her boyfriend Matthew Mosey were going through a difficult period in their relationship, they suspected him of being involved in the disappearance. However, since there was no concrete evidence linking him to the crime, he was cleared as a suspect.

Another suspect emerged when a local BMW dealer notified police that Esmeralda had come into the store with a man to get a key for her car. It turned out to be one of the neighbors who had just driven her to the dealership. Thanks to these clues, investigators now knew that she had gone to the BMW dealership on the afternoon of May 30 and was standing outside in the neighborhood looking lost several hours later, in the early morning hours of May 31. Less than two months later, on July 18, 2019, police received a tip that Christopher Prestipino and his roommate Casandra Garrett were involved in the murder of a woman.

The informant claimed the couple injected the victim with pool cleaner and drove her body to the desert in a U-Haul truck. As they investigated Christopher further, they learned he had a few run-ins with the law for drug use. Additionally, the dots connected further when they discovered he had rented a U-Haul truck in early June and lived on the same street as Esmeralda Gonzalez. There was another significant break in the case when an informant directed authorities to question a woman named Tricia Ott about the case. Tricia claimed Christopher called her to her home, where she saw Casandra cleaning out the garage. She also noticed a U-Haul and a large wooden box in the garage.

Three people were involved in the death of Esmeralda Gonzalez

There, Christopher told Tricia about a woman who freaked him out so much that he had to tie her up. Christopher was acting completely paranoid and, according to Tricia, also thought he had killed her. Investigators closed in on him and also explored Christopher’s whereabouts at the time of Esmeralda’s disappearance. Thanks to surveillance footage, police learned that he had visited Home Depot, where he bought lime, lumber, concrete, screws and other building materials. His cell phone records placed him in the desert for several hours on June 8, 2019.

When confronted, the suspect’s girlfriend, Lisa Mort, who was being held in a detention center on other charges, claimed she knew nothing about the crime. They then traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and questioned Casandra, who also maintained her innocence and denied being in the garage. After gathering enough evidence against Christopher, police obtained search warrants for his property and questioned him on September 20, 2019. Authorities reached an impasse when no evidence was found on his property and he claimed he had never seen the victim before.

Investigators were determined to solve the case and offered Casandra a deal. She accepted their terms and led them to the desert where Christopher had hidden the body. On October 8, after several hours of searching, Esmeralda’s body was found in a large wooden box in the Las Vegas desert. That same month, he was arrested and charged with kidnapping, murder and conspiracy. Casandra and Lisa were also reportedly charged for their respective roles in the influencer’s murder.

While Christopher Prestipino and Casandra Garrett are incarcerated, Lisa Mort has been released from prison

In March 2023, Christopher Prestipino pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in connection with the death of Esmeralda Gonzalez. The following month, he was sentenced to a minimum of ten years in prison for murder and a minimum of five years for kidnapping. At the hearing, the victim’s brother, Juan Gonzalez Madera, addressed the court: “It pains me to know that she will never have the opportunity to study law and defend the rights of others. Learning that my sister died hurt my heart deeply, but learning how she died has broken my heart forever.” He is currently incarcerated at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California.

Lisa Mort managed to avoid trial and also pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder and was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison. She has since been released from prison and is living a private life. Casandra Garrett pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a deadly weapon. Due to her direct involvement in the murder, she was sentenced to two decades in prison with the possibility of parole after eight years. She is currently serving her sentence at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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