Chef and Father Killed at 46 by Suspected DUI Driver: ‘Everybody Loved Him’

A much-loved Las Vegas chef is being remembered as a devoted father, husband and friend after he was killed by an alleged impaired driver in downtown Las Vegas at age 46.

Julio Nave-Giron, who worked at Pepper Club — a Mediterranean restaurant inside The English Hotel in the city’s Arts District — died after a crash on the night of Saturday, Dec. 6.

“Our team is mourning the loss of Julio, whose warmth, hard work, and generosity left a lasting impact on everyone around him,” the restaurant said in a statement shared on Instagram on Wednesday, Dec. 10. “His absence will be felt deeply by his family, friends, and all of us who had the privilege of working with him.”

His widow, Sarita Moreno, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Nave-Giron was a “loving person” who lit up every room he entered.

“Everybody loved him, his personality,” she said.

“He was a loving person, outgoing, a big-hearted jokester,” Moreno added. “He made everybody laugh.”

A GoFundMe set up by friend Adrianna Oropeza notes that Nave-Giron was the sole provider for his family.

According to KSNV NBC Las Vegas, he had three teenage sons.

“He was my dad, but he was also my best friend, and today I know what it feels like to lose both, a best friend and a dad,” his 18-year-old son, Julio Jr., told the outlet.

Julio Jr. also shared that he had spoken to his father just 10 minutes before the crash, while Nave-Giron was on his way home from work.

Nave-Giron’s 15-year-old son, Issac, recalled a quiet but cherished memory with his dad.

“Probably my most favorite memory is listening to Linkin Park as we’re picking up my brother from work, very simple moment, but it has a special place in my heart,” he said.

According to CBS affiliate 8 News Now, two of the teenagers he raised were his nephews, whom he took in after his younger sister was killed. He considered them his sons.

Nave-Giron’s mother, Elizabeth Nave, is also grieving the loss of her child.

“He was taken from me. They snatched him from my hands. They left a family broken,” she told 8 News Now.

According to multiple outlets citing the Las Vegas Metro police, 41-year-old Rogelio Camacho, the man accused of hitting Nave-Giron, was arrested on Dec. 6. He faces charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence resulting in death.

8 News Now reports that Camacho has not yet appeared in court because of his own injuries, but remained in custody without bail as of Dec. 10. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 18.