A Luzerne County judge has sentenced a man to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the brutal "House of Horrors" murder case in Wilkes-Barre. Jason Race pleaded guilty in March to first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, and several other charges stemming from the February 2024 killing of 38-year-old Nicole Cuevas. In addition to the mandatory life sentence, the judge tacked on an consecutive prison term of 25 to 80 years for the secondary charges related to Cuevas's death and the severe assault of a man inside the same residence.
According to Wilkes-Barre police investigators, Race was one of five individuals who held Cuevas captive, tortured her, and ultimately killed her inside a home along Carlisle Street. The group then buried her body in the basement of the house, where it remained hidden until law enforcement uncovered the crime scene months later. Prosecutors described the actions inside the home as uniquely heinous, noting that the lengthy consecutive sentences ensure Race will remain behind bars for the remainder of his life regardless of any future legal appeals. The cases against the remaining co-defendants linked to the Carlisle Street residence continue to move through the court system.
