White supremacist leader among inmates killed at Nevada prison

Two of the three inmates who were killed Tuesday at Ely State Prison have been identified by the White Pine County Sheriff’s Office.

Zackaria Luz, 43, who was previously indicted as a leading member of a violent white supremacist prison gang in Nevada, and Connor Brown, 22, were identified Wednesday as two of the dead inmates in a news release from Capt. Todd Fincher.

The third inmate who was killed was not identified as the next of kin has not been notified, according to the release.

The sheriff’s office received a report about the altercation just before 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to the release. Medical personnel were dispatched to treat several injured inmates while detectives responded to investigate.

Along with the three inmates who died, nine inmates were hospitalized with wounds suffered in the fight, including several who were flown out of Ely to be treated, the release said.

Luz was serving seven to 18 years for racketeering. He went into the NDOC system after being sentenced in Clark County on Oct. 5, 2023.

Brown, 22, was serving seven to 20 years for robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, with a deadly weapon enhancement. He came to the NDOC on May 13, 2021, and was sentenced out of Washoe County.

Ely State Prison remains on lockdown.

Aryan Warriors gang

In 2019, Luz was indicted alongside 22 other members of the Aryan Warriors, a white supremacist prison gang. The indictment was unsealed due to an investigation by a gang task force.

Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty for two of the indicted members who were accused of stabbing a fellow inmate to death in High Desert State Prison.

One of the indicted inmates, Tarik Goicoechea, declined to testify in front of a reopened grand jury despite having argued that he had not been able to do initially, explained Michael Dickerson, chief deputy district attorney for the Clark County District Attorney’s Office.

After being indicted once again on additional charges, Dickerson explained, Goicoechea ultimately took an Alford plea.

Taking an Alford plea means Goicoechea admitted only that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove his guilt.

But according to Goicoechea’s attorney Kristina Wildeveld, Goicoechea was found hanged just days after being transferred to the Nevada Department of Corrections. Wildeveld said she doubts he did it to himself.

The other Aryan Warrior member facing the death penalty, Anthony Williams, instead agreed to a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com.