Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Man found dead near recent slaying sites

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An apparent homicide in northwest Las Vegas has neighbors of the dead man wondering whether a rash of violence that has besieged their middle-class community is an aberration or cause for alarm.

About 3 p.m., the victim called 911 from his residence at 9756 Edifice Ave., near Charleston Boulevard and Hualapai Way. He told dispatchers someone had broken into his house and was stabbing him, Las Vegas police Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Authorities quickly responded to the two-story home and found a dead man, but they had not determined a cause of death as of Monday evening, Monahan said.

Police were interested in questioning a juvenile, thought to be about 16 years old, who witnesses said had been racing down the street on a motorbike or moped not long before authorities reached the home.

Monahan said police had not determined whether there were signs of forced entry at the home.

As homicide investigators scoured the residence for clues and evidence, word of the apparent killing quickly spread among shocked neighbors who gathered in the street.

"Got a murder again," is how Jim Miller, who lives six houses down from the victim, broke the news to an inquiring neighbor. "It seems like things are getting worse over here on the west side."

Monday's incident, if confirmed as a slaying, would mark the third killing in the area around the gated community in the past four months.

Arie Redeker is awaiting trial in connection with the killing of his 40-year-old girlfriend, Skawduan Lanna. The woman's body was found Oct. 21 near a Red Rock Canyon campground. The couple owned a home in a gated community near Sahara Avenue and Hualapai.

And on Feb. 3, designer Carol Miller was found strangled in an undeveloped part of Summerlin after her husband said she failed to return home from her evening walk in their neighborhood near Fort Apache Road and Sahara. Police have not named a suspect or made an arrest in the slaying.

Mohamed Dakka, an executive chef, said his wife was frantic when she called him from work about Monday's death. Dakka left work early to comfort his wife and two children.

Many residents expressed anger toward their homeowners association, saying the board is too vigilant about code violations and too relaxed about security.

"I'm not saying they caused the murder, of course not," resident Reva Ever said of the association. "But maybe if they paid more attention to security than how clean the driveways are, and how our grass looks, then things might be different."

Other residents believe homeowners shoulder much of the blame for safety gaps, noting that many have freely disclosed their gate code to pizza delivery drivers and others.

Monahan tried to ease the mind of one panicked resident, telling her murders and violent crime are rare occurrences.

Roberta Gomes owns the home where the body was found, according to Clark County assessor's records. The woman drove up to the yellow tape and asked Jim Miller what was going on.

"Where is it?" the woman asked. "Is it my dogs? What's happening?"

Miller held back.

"I didn't know what to tell her," Miller said as the woman hurried toward police for an answers.

"My wife, the first thing she said was, 'Well, let's sell (our home)," said Miller, a retired builder. "I worry for my wife ... but I don't want to run from this nonsense. Because it's not any safer wherever you go."