Loyal woman’s killer to be sentenced soon

The 42-year-old Mosinee man convicted in June in the 2020 murder of 27-year-old Kassandra Ayon of Loyal will learn his fate early next week.

The sentencing hearing for Jesus Contreras Perez is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sept. 12 in Clark County Circuit Court in Neillsville. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Diehn will preside as he was appointed to the case after lawyers for Contreras Perez requested a substitute for Clark County Judge Lindsey Brunette.

Contreras Perez was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide/domestic abuse-as party to a crime, hiding a corpse/ as party to a crime, and stalking/domestic abuse after a weeklong trial in June. While the first-degree intentional homicide charge carries a mandatory life sentence in Wisconsin, a judge does have some latitude on conditions of the sentence.

Contreras Perez was convicted of killing Ayon on Oct. 3, 2020, even though neither her remains nor her vehicle were ever found. Ayon was last seen in the early morning hours at a friend’s house in Unity, but she disappeared after that.

Witnesses at the trial said they saw Contreras Perez harassing and following Ayon during several occasions in the months prior to her disappearance. The pair had a son together, but Ayon had recently moved out of Contreras Perez’ home and ended their relationship. Friends and witnesses said Contreras Perez was angry that Ayon was seeing other men, and had threatened to harm her.

Contreras Perez has been in custody since his arrest in June 2021. His cash bond was set at $1 million as he awaited trial. He has been held in the Clark County Jail since his arrest and conviction, but will be transferred to a state prison after the sentencing hearing.