Boy killed in murder-suicide was ‘wise beyond his years.’ He attended Merced school
An online fundraiser has been created to raise money for the family of Callan Perez, 11, who was killed in a murder-suicide by his father in Elko, Nevada, on April 13.
The money is being raised to help pay for funeral expenses and a potential “legal fight ... against a system that failed him,” according to the posting on GoFundMe.
As of Tuesday morning, $9,445 had been raised out of a goal of $11,000.
Police in Elko say Giovanni Perez, 37, shot his son inside a bathroom at the Elko Regional Airport last Monday afternoon. The man then killed himself.
Callan Perez attended school in Merced
According to Salt Lake City TV station KUTV, Callan attended fourth grade at Luther Burbank Elementary School in Merced. Elko is in northeastern Nevada, about 230 miles from Salt Lake City.
The Merced City School District told the Sun-Star that Callan was not enrolled for the current school year. “This is an unimaginable tragedy and our prayers and thoughts are with the family,” the school district said in a statement.
According to an announcement on the Merced County Office of Education website, Callan Perez finished in third place in the Father of the Year essay contest in 2025.
“The Merced County Father of the Year Essay Contest encourages students in grades TK-12 to reflect and write about their experiences with a father or father figure who have helped shape their lives,” the announcement said.
On the GoFundMe page, Callan was described as “incredibly smart, funny, and kind — wise beyond his years.”
“He had the biggest heart and the sweetest soul,” the post said. “Not to mention a smile that lit up every room he entered. He deserved so much more life, so many more laughs, and a future that was stolen far too soon.”
Elko police’s investigation into murder-suicide
Elko police said on Thursday that they continue to investigate the shooting.
According to police, Perez served in the U.S. military. “Through the investigation, we learned that Giovanni claimed he was suffering from PTSD due to his time in the military,” Elko police said in a statement.
Perez had been in a custody dispute with Callan’s maternal grandparents, police said.
Callan’s mother told KUTV that she separated from her son for several years, though they remained in contact by phone.
“We still do not have a motive for this horrific incident and may never know why Callan’s life was taken,” Elko police said in its statement. “Our hearts are still with Callan’s family, and we will continue to find as many answers as we can for this horrible tragedy.”
