Las Vegas landlord fatally shot had multiple gunshot wounds in back

A landlord was fatally shot in the back multiple times after trying to evict a tenant from a Las Vegas home last week, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

The Las Vegas landlord was found on Thursday afternoon lying face down and with gunshot wounds to his back, the report said. On Monday, the Clark County coroner’s office identified him as Steven Lucchesi, 39. He died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the coroner’s office.

Christopher Rainey, the tenant accused of the shooting, was arrested and booked Thursday at the Clark County Detention Center on suspicion of open murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Rainey, 37, is scheduled to make an initial appearance 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in Las Vegas Justice Court before Judge Eric Goodman.

Details of the shooting unfolded Thursday when officers were dispatched at approximately 4:45 p.m. Thursday to a report of a person shot in the 3600 block of North Campbell Road, near West Cheyenne Avenue and North Durango Drive, according to Rainey’s arrest report.

One of the four tenants who lived at the home made a 911 call. That roommate told operators they believed that Rainey had shot Lucchesi and alleged that Rainey had just pointed a firearm at them.

The names of all of the roommates were redacted in the report.

Landlord found face down in kitchen

Officers arrived on the scene, where Rainey “immediately” exited the residence and was taken into custody. Police recovered a black semi-automatic handgun from a holster in Rainey’s front waistband, according to the arrest report, but it did not identify its make or model.

Officers entered the home, where they found Lucchesi in the kitchen area lying face down and suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. He was declared dead at the scene, police said.

One individual — identified only as a tenant — told homicide detectives they moved into the residence on May 1 to live with Rainey, Lucchesi and another tenant whose name was also redacted from the report. That person also told officers that Rainey was reportedly behind on rent and that Lucchesi had told him that he was going to evict Rainey, the report said.

After a conversation with Lucchesi about the eviction, that tenant went outside to smoke and, soon after, heard several loud bangs, according to the arrest report. Unsure of what he heard, the tenant ran north on Campbell Road.

While running, the tenant reported hearing two more bangs. The report said the tenant called Lucchesi, but was unable to reach him. He then called his other roommate, who was upstairs, and confirmed he had heard the noise too but was unsure what it was.

The tenant later returned to the home and ran into Rainey when he opened the front door, the arrest report said. Rainey was reportedly holding a handgun in his right hand, pointed it at the man, and told him to leave, police said. The man fled again to call 911, police said.

Suspect described as ‘mentally ill,’ ‘strange’

An interview with another tenant, who was identified only as Lucchesi’s cousin, said he moved into the property about five months earlier and was not home at the time of the shooting, the arrest report said.

One of the unidentified tenants described Rainey as “mentally ill,” and the other stated Rainey was “strange,” but was quiet and did not interact frequently with others in the house. Both denied having knowledge of any weapons in the home, aside from a possible airsoft gun that belonged to Lucchesi, according to the report.

Detectives attempted to interview Rainey but stated in their report that he was uncooperative and noted that Rainey sat in the interview room with his eyes closed and would not acknowledge detectives.

A preliminary investigation uncovered so-called “close contact” injuries to Lucchesi’s back, which in the arrest report indicated he was lying face down when he was shot. Bullet impacts were also observed on the floor beneath his body, further suggesting that Lucchesi was lying face down when he was shot, Metro said.

Police recovered a Glock 45 semi-automatic handgun inside a backpack inside Rainey’s bedroom, according to the arrest report. Rounds from the loaded gun matched the headstamp of cartridges recovered from the kitchen, police said.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X. or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.