A father described as “pure evil” has been found guilty of murdering his five infant children over a span of nine years. Paul Allen Perez, aged 63, was convicted by a jury in Yolo County, California, for multiple murder charges and one count of assault on a child under eight resulting in death.

The crimes involved the deaths of five infants, all aged under six months, at various locations in Central and Northern California between 1992 and 2001. The case came to light in 2007 when the remains of a baby were discovered in a canal concealed inside a cooler. The baby, identified as Nikko Lee Perez, was found to be one of five siblings who had tragically died under similar circumstances.

DNA analysis in 2019 revealed Paul Perez as the biological father of Nikko Lee Perez and his other deceased siblings. Yolanda Perez, the mother of the children, testified during the trial about years of abuse and threats by Paul Perez. She recounted how he had killed their first child in 1992 and subsequently went on to murder four more infants, coercing her into silence.

Yolanda Perez, who pleaded guilty to child endangerment, provided crucial testimony against Paul Perez in exchange for reduced charges. Deputy District Attorney David Robbins emphasized the deliberate nature of the crimes, stating, “These children are dead because Paul Perez killed them.” Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig described the crimes as “pure evil” and advocated for a life imprisonment sentence for Perez.

Paul Perez faces life in prison without parole and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6 in Yolo County Superior Court.