YouTuber Monalisa Perez jailed for shooting boyfriend Pedro Ruiz III dead in botched stunt

Monalisa Perez and Pedro Ruiz III. Credit: YouTube/La MonaLisa

A YouTube prankster who shot and killed her boyfriend in a botched stunt has reportedly been sentenced to six months in prison.

Monalisa Perez previously pleaded guilty to the second-degree manslaughter of Pedro Ruiz III, after the couple filmed a video in which she shot a bullet into an encyclopaedia he was holding in front of his chest from one foot (30cm) away.

The stunt was carried out in front of around 30 onlookers, including the couple's three-year-old daughter.

As well as the jail term, local media reported the 20-year-old received lifetime bans on possessing a firearm or receiving payment for telling the story of the June 2017 shooting Halstad, Minnesota, and will remain on probation for 10 years.

The mother-of-two reportedly retained custody of the couple's two children and was told she could serve her jail sentence in 10 day chunks.

Monalisa Perez tweeted her reservations about the prank before carrying it out. Credit: Northwest Regional Corrections Center via AP

The short sentence Perez is said to have received falls below state sentencing guidelines, but Norman County Attorney James Brue said that was proper under the circumstances and that he was satisfied that the sentence holds her accountable for "culpable negligence that led to the tragic and completely avoidable death".

At the time of the shooting, then pregnant Perez, told police the idea for the stunt was Ruiz's, while Mr Brue is reported to have told the court that "the reality that this foolish stunt was dreamed up, planned, and executed by Pedro Ruiz, and the defendant wrongfully and tragically relied on his assurances that the stunt was safe".

Prior to the stunt, Perez had tweeted her reservations.

Authorities said Ruiz died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

The gun used in the 22-year-old's fatal shooting was reported to be a .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol, described in an advert as "one of the world's most powerful semiautomatic handguns".

Perez called 911 following the botched stunt.

The young couple had a YouTube channel in which they vlogged about "the real life of a young couple who happen to be teen parents" as well as posting pranks.