Curtis Blas sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the murder of Adam Messier | News

Four years later, on November 4, 2021, three men were charged with Messier's murder: Blas, his relative Donavan Elliott Alianza Carriaga, and Brandon James Flaherty.

Jason Alianza, accused in court documents of masterminding the murder, has since died.

Blas was accused of beating Messier, Carriaga allegedly strangled him with a tie and Flaherty was accused of hitting him with a baseball bat, according to court documents.

“Blas repeatedly struck the victim with his fists, while his accomplices went so far as to strike with a bat and wrap a rope around the victim's neck, resulting in his death,” Guthrie said. “They then disposed of the victim’s lifeless body.”

Prosecutors said Blas wrapped the body in a trash bag and a sheet, which he placed in a plastic container after breaking Messier's foot.

Messier's body was found in October 2021, after Alianza's former girlfriend told police she had witnessed the murder.

“Although Blas is the least culpable of the three defendants in this case, Judge Terlaje recognized that a sentence less than the maximum would lessen the seriousness of his crime which resulted in the untimely death of a man,” Guthrie said.