Anthem house fire death was homicide, Henderson police say

The death of a man found in a burning house in the upscale Anthem neighborhood is being investigated as a homicide, Henderson police said Wednesday.

Firefighters were called to the blaze in the 100 block of Holly Tree Court, near Anthem Parkway and Hampton Road, about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, city spokeswoman Kathleen Richards said.

The call came from the house that was on fire, Richards said Wednesday, but officials don’t know who dialed 911.

Smoke was coming from the residence, and once firefighters got inside they found an unconscious man.

The man, described as in his 20s, was sent to St. Rose Dominican Hospital — Siena campus, where he later died, Richards said in a news release. The injuries that led to his death were not related to the fire, police said.

The man’s black 2015 Toyota 4Runner with Nevada license plate 860-XFG was missing from the home.

His name and cause of death will be released by the Clark County coroner’s office once his family has been notified.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Richards said when asked if the blaze was the result of arson. With incidents where people die, fire department officials usually do not close their case until police have finished their investigation.

Anthem is a gated community with 24-hour armed guards. Del Webb Corp. master planned the 4,755-acre community, which opened in the late 1990s. Home prices can range from $300,000 to $10 million.

Sen. Harry Reid announced in July he planned to move there from his hometown of Searchlight, about 60 miles south of Las Vegas. Two of Reid’s sons live in Anthem.

Police declined to provide the exact address of the house that burned, but about 10 homes face or abut Holly Tree Court. It’s a cul-de-sac and less than a tenth of a mile, at not quite 400 feet.

Anyone with information on this case can call the Henderson Police Department at 702-267-4750. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or crimestoppersofnv.com. Tips directly leading to a felony arrest processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.

Contact Kimberly De La Cruz at kdelacruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @KimberlyinLV. Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Find him on Twitter: @WesJuhl.