Desert Hot Springs Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Role in Fatal Burglary

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) Nathan “Mason” Alger was sentenced Tuesday to 21 years in state prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in a 2020 burglary that left his accomplice dead.

The 25-year-old entered the plea at the Larson Justice Center under an agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The deal avoids a retrial on a second-degree murder charge.

A Riverside County jury last June convicted Alger of assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and enhancements for aiding and abetting first-degree burglary and using a gun during a felony. Jurors hung on the murder charge and acquitted him of attempted murder.

Under the plea agreement, Alger admitted voluntary manslaughter and related counts. Superior Court Judge Kristi Hester dismissed the murder charge and imposed the agreed-upon 21-year sentence. Court minutes show one count was designated the principal term, another will run concurrently and sentencing on two counts was stayed.

The case stems from a Nov. 18, 2020 burglary in the 13700 block of Hacienda Heights Drive.

Prosecutors said Alger and a man identified in court documents as “Presley B.” planned to break into the home of an acquaintance who Presley believed owed him money. They thought the homeowner would be away.

They did not know a tenant, identified as “R.R.,” was inside playing video games.

Authorities said the pair kicked in the front door and went to the homeowner’s bedroom to search for money and valuables. R.R. armed himself with a semiautomatic handgun and confronted the masked intruders.

According to court documents, Presley turned and pointed a handgun at R.R., who then fired twice. After briefly retreating, R.R. saw Presley near the front door and fired once more. Presley was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found he was shot twice in the chest and suffered a superficial wound to his back.

Authorities said Alger retrieved a pump shotgun from a getaway vehicle and fired two rounds toward the house before fleeing. He was arrested several days later.

Court records show Alger had a prior burglary conviction.