At a Glance
- Paul Allen Perez, 63, convicted of killing five of his infant children, all under 6 months old, on January 6.
- Breakthrough came after 2007 discovery of one baby’s remains “weighted down and submerged in a cooler” east of Woodland, Calif.
- DNA technology identified the infant as Nikko Lee Perez, leading to discovery of four more slain siblings born between 1992 and 2001.
- Why it matters: Conviction highlights how advances in forensic science can solve decades-old crimes against the most vulnerable victims.
A California jury has found Paul Allen Perez guilty of murdering five of his own babies, ending a cold-case investigation that spanned nearly three decades and required cutting-edge DNA work to unravel.
The Discovery That Cracked the Case
The investigation began in 2007, when a fisherman pulled a sealed metal cooler from a slough east of Woodland, 20 miles northeast of Sacramento. Inside, deputies found:
- An infant wrapped in plastic and a Winnie the Pooh blanket
- The cooler weighted with metal rotors, a brick and U-shaped metal pieces
- The baby, later identified as Nikko Lee Perez, had suffered blunt-force trauma and was only 1-3 months old when he died
Detectives extracted DNA, but technology at the time yielded no match. The case went cold for 12 years.
DNA Breakthrough Links Five Victims
In October 2019, new familial DNA techniques connected the unknown infant to Perez, who was already in state prison for unrelated offenses. Investigators then reconstructed a chilling pattern:
| Child | Year of Birth | Year of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Kato Allen Perez | 1992 | < 6 months old |
| Mika Alena Perez | 1995 | < 6 months old |
| Nikko Lee Perez | 1997 | < 6 months old |
| Kato Krow Perez | 2001 | < 6 months old |
A fifth infant, whose name has not been released, also died before reaching 6 months.
All five children were born in central and northern California. Investigators have not located the remains of three of the babies.
Prosecutors Detail Decades of Violence
After the January 6 conviction, Deputy District Attorneys Deanna Hays and David Robbins issued a joint statement through the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office:
> “It’s a tragedy that Paul Perez committed repeated violence against women for over four decades… It’s a tragedy that no one protected these five babies.”
They described Perez as a man who “delights in violence” and whose abuse extended to men, women, children and even animals. The prosecutors said the infants were viewed as burdens and “less than human”, killed so Perez could maintain power and control.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig was more succinct:
> “These crimes involved pure evil… May the souls of his murdered children rest in peace.”
Legal Outcome and Sentencing
Perez was convicted of:
- Five counts of murder
- One count of assault on a child under 8 causing death
He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. Formal sentencing is set for April 6.
Perez, already a registered sex offender, has been in custody at Kern Valley State Prison throughout the proceedings.
Key Takeaways
- Familial DNA proved pivotal in identifying both the victim and the killer, showing how forensic advances can revive cold cases.
- The 15-year gap between the first discovery and charges underscores the persistence of investigators.
- With three bodies still missing, authorities hope the conviction encourages anyone with information to come forward.
