Man receives prison in murder of friend

A Carson City judge rejected a bid for probation and sentenced Fred Bechtold to two to five years in prison for concealing evidence in the murder of Adam Wells.

"I think Fred thought this was kind of a done deal and he was going to walk out of court today," said Adam Wells' father, Jerry, after Monday's sentencing. "I know his family was upset and we feel bad about that, but I think the judge did the right thing."

According to court records, Danny Shaw, 21, and Tyler Cruz, 24, were seeking revenge against their friend Adam Wells for allegedly stealing from Shaw. The two men admitted to binding Wells in 84 feet of rope, striking him with bats and dumping his body off of Sedge Road on Oct. 5. They said Wells was still alive when they left him.

Bechtold, 21, Shaw's roommate, told investigators when he got home from work Cruz and Shaw told him what had happened and he helped the men clean the home where Wells was assaulted, instructed them to burn their clothing and helped Cruz bury a bat and hammer in Goni Canyon.

The following day another of Shaw's roommates, Malcolm Young, told his parents and police that something had happened to Wells. When investigators questioned Shaw, he led police to the body in Brunswick Canyon. An autopsy report revealed Wells died of strangulation coupled with a beating.

Cruz was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for second-degree murder.

Young pleaded guilty to concealing evidence and received probation for throwing shoes away on the way to his parents' home.

Juan Cervantes, 21, allegedly told investigators he was present when Wells was first assaulted in Shaw's Stanford Drive rental home, but he left shortly after Wells was tied up. Cervantes pleaded guilty to one count of principal to battery with the use of a deadly weapon.

Shaw also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He and Cervantes will be sentenced Friday.

"It's just hard to imagine if someone would betray a friend that way, what they would do to somebody that wasn't a friend," Jerry Wells said. "We really believe that Fred could have made a difference in saving Adam's life, because we don't know - we still don't know - when Adam actually died."

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.

What's next

• Danny Shaw and Juan Cervantes will both be sentenced Friday in the Oct. 5 murder of Adam Wells.

• Shaw faces 20 years to life in prison on a charge of second-degree murder.

• Cervantes faces either probation or three to 10 years in prison on a charge of principal to battery with the use of a deadly weapon.