Stefan Jakubov (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept.) and alleged footage of Aaron Chavez’s body being burned in the Nevada desert (LVMPD via KLAS)
A 29-year-old mortgage trader in Nevada is accused of encouraging and directing one of his friends to kill a second friend, allegedly having the killer do the deed over a live video stream so he could watch the victim being beaten to death.
Stefan Jakubov was taken into custody earlier this month and charged with multiple felonies, including one count each of open murder, robbery, and destroying or concealing evidence in the 2023 slaying of Aaron Chavez, records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
The friend Jakubov allegedly “goaded” into killing Chavez, Gino Julian, was arrested in August 2023, after tow truck drivers found him asleep inside of a parked car just feet away from Chavez’s charred body, according to a report from Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS. Julian had reportedly called the drivers to his location because his car had gotten stuck in the sand.
Gino Julian (LVMPD)
Authorities reportedly allege that Julian on Aug. 12, 2023, beat Chavez to death inside of a Las Vegas home that was equipped with a camera allowing Jakubov to watch the fatal assault in real time. Investigators allegedly obtained text messages from Jakubov to Julian that read “Break his face” in regard to Chavez, “Delete our convos,” and “I’ll delete cameras.”
Julian allegedly sent Jakubov text messages stating, “Where should I put on the show?” and “Is there bleach or chlorine,” in regards to cleaning up the crime scene. Jakubov allegedly responded that there were cleaning agents under the sink.
In an interview with San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department detectives last year, Jakubov said he had moved to Las Vegas in 2020 and met Chavez, whom he described as being very wealthy, but owing a lot of his investors money, per KLAS. The news station’s investigatory team said it had identified and confirmed multiple people who claimed that Chavez had scammed them out of money.
Julian similarly told police that Chavez became rich through a series of Ponzi schemes and had made a lot of enemies.
Text messages previously obtained by KLAS also showed that Chavez and Julian, his alleged killer, had previously exchanged threatening messages.
“And if I’m touched you will be sued to the full ectent [sic],” Chavez wrote in one message to Julian. Julian allegedly responded by saying, “Dead men can’t sue.”
Authorities allegedly found several videos on Julian’s phone implicating Julian in Chavez’s murder, several of which were obtained by KLAS.
In one video, Chavez appears to be sitting on a couch while Julian appears to be sitting in a chair directly across from him. An agitated Julian appears to scream at Chavez, “What does it feel like to be disrespected? It sucks right.” Julian then appears to grab Chavez with his left hand and then delivers a walloping right hand the Chavez’s face that sends him sprawling across the couch.
“Pay your f—— people,” Julian appears to yell.
Footage of Gino Julian allegedly speaking to Aaron Chavez just before Chavez’s death (LVMPD via KLAS)
Another video was allegedly filmed after Chavez’s death appears to show Julian out in the desert with Chavez’s body, which is wrapped in several blankets and tied with twine.
“I didn’t want to do gangsta s—,” Julian appears to say as he douses the body in gasoline.
“Just don’t understand the principles. So it’s my job to teach them,” he allegedly continues. “I almost feel sorry for him. What else did he think was going to happen.”
Gino Julian allegedly in the desert burning Aaron Chavez’s body (LVMPD via KLAS)
Jakubov is currently being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $510,000 bond. He is currently scheduled to appear in court on April 25 for a preliminary hearing. In addition to the aforementioned charges, he is also facing one count of conspiracy to commit battery resulting in serious bodily harm and one count of harboring, aiding, or concealing a felony offender.
His attorney, Robert Draskovich, told KLAS he does not believe his client will remain in detention for long.
“We anticipate him posting bail in the very near future,” Draskovich reportedly told the station. “He is looking forward to his preliminary hearing in this case. He is confident he will be exonerated of the murder and robbery charges that he is currently facing.”
Julian is currently scheduled to begin a jury trial in May.
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