One year after Mexican authorities arrested the man accused of killing Las Vegas resident Tabatha Tozzi, the central question for her family is still unanswered: when, or even whether, he will be sent back to Nevada.
Oswaldo Perez‑Sanchez remains in Mexican custody on separate charges, and new legal maneuvers in Sinaloa’s courts have relatives on both sides of the border worried that extradition could get slower and more tangled. Family members in Las Vegas and in Sinaloa say they have been leaning on prosecutors and judges in both countries for clarity and, ultimately, movement.
“My daughter was always special. Very kind and she always thinks about others,” Tabatha’s mother, Regina Lacerda Gomes, told reporters. Alma Aispuro Cabanillas, the sister of Vivian Karely, described her sibling as “a very happy girl” with many friends. Both families say they are pushing Mexico’s courts and Nevada prosecutors to clear a path for Perez‑Sanchez’s return, according to News 3.
What Mexican Court Records Show
Court filings in Sinaloa show that prosecutors appealed after a judge initially declined to move forward with parts of the case, arguing the court brushed past police reports, witness statements and evidence that Perez‑Sanchez allegedly hid behind a false identity. Prosecutors say a relative’s identification helped him stay out of sight, and that this alleged oversight by the judge triggered their appeal in the Mexican courts. Those details appear in court documents reviewed by KTNV.
Arrest And Outstanding U.S. Warrant
Mexican authorities arrested Perez‑Sanchez in Ciudad Obregón in April 2025 and later transferred him to Sinaloa to face local homicide charges, according to reporting at the time. U.S. law enforcement had already placed him on a wanted list in Nevada in connection with the April 22, 2023, shooting death of Tozzi, and the U.S. Marshals had put up a wanted notice and reward.
The initial capture was reported by FOX5, his wanted poster is posted by the U.S. Marshals Service, and local coverage of the 2023 crime scene in northwest Las Vegas appears in the Las Vegas Review‑Journal.
Extradition Hurdles
Officials on both sides of the border have been blunt about one thing: extradition is not automatic.
District of Nevada U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield has said the timeline and outcome largely hinge on Mexican authorities. Under the U.S.-Mexico extradition framework, Mexico can insist on assurances that a defendant will not face the death penalty or life without parole before it agrees to hand someone over. That legal requirement is spelled out in guidance from the U.S. State Department.
Families Keep Up Pressure
For Tabatha’s mother, the legal fine print all boils down to a single goal.
“That’s what I’m fighting for. That’s what I want,” Regina Lacerda Gomes said, vowing to keep pushing for Perez‑Sanchez’s return to Nevada so he can “pay for what he did.” The Clark County District Attorney’s Office told News 3 it is still actively seeking extradition, and relatives have organized remembrance events while they wait for the next move in court. A celebration of life for Tabatha is scheduled for April 26 at Citrus Grill & Lounge, the family said.
What happens next will depend on appeals, scheduling and diplomatic steps in Sinaloa’s courts. Local outlets report that Perez‑Sanchez has been taken to the Aguaruto penitentiary in Culiacán while prosecutors press their case, according to El Sol de Sinaloa. U.S. authorities and Nevada prosecutors say they will keep coordinating, but officials caution that Mexico’s legal timeline can stretch for weeks or months before any extradition decision lands. In the meantime, the U.S. Marshals Service has left its wanted notice for Perez‑Sanchez open in Nevada.
