Complaint: Woman Blames Video Stunt for Boyfriend’s Death

Mona Lisa Perez

HALSTAD, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota woman charged in the fatal shooting of her boyfriend told authorities it was a video stunt gone wrong.

Monalisa Perez, of Halstad, was charged Wednesday with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Pedro Ruiz III.

According to the criminal complaint, the 19-year-old Perez told authorities Ruiz wanted to make a YouTube video of her shooting a bullet into a book he was holding against his chest. She says she fired from about a foot away.

Authorities say Ruiz died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.