Henderson apartment residents at a loss to explain deaths of woman, son
Residents of a Henderson apartment complex are trying to piece together a mysterious puzzle after two people were found dead there Friday afternoon.
The discovery of the bodies of a woman and her 10-year-old son has residents wondering how such a violent act could take place in such a tranquil community.
“I see kids playing outside every day,” said resident Rochelle Richards, who lives in the Sun Ridge Apartments. “They play with their Nerf guns, ride on scooters and everything. There’s a really big camaraderie among the kids.”
Richards lives in the apartment building next door to where the victims were found at 11000 S. Eastern Ave. She said she opened her blinds to let light into her apartment around noon when she saw a police car outside of her building.
“By 1, that’s when I saw at least six or seven cruisers and a few detectives and I knew something was wrong,” she said.
Richards said she went to the leasing office a few hours later to find out what was going on but got no answers there.
“We specifically chose this apartment complex because my aunt’s parents said it was a safe area,” she said. “My husband wanted to move somewhere where I would be safe being home alone.”
Police discovered the bodies after it was reported that the 10-year-old boy and his 16-year-old brother hadn’t shown up for school since Wednesday.
Employees at the mother’s workplace were worried when she hadn’t shown up for work, said Henderson Police Department spokesman Keith Paul.
The two victims had not been identified by the Clark County coroner’s office as of Saturday evening, and authorities say the mother’s 16-year-old son, Adrian Navaro, was still missing.
Richards said she has a clear view of their apartment and saw police wheel out the bodies in front of her window around 11 p.m.
The deaths come as a shock to a community that isn’t accustomed to crime, especially one of such extreme magnitude.
“I’m pretty spooked out,” Richards said. “Not that I think I’m in danger, but a double homicide just happened right next to us. We’re definitely making sure to lock our doors and we’ll have our alarm monitored.”
Paul said anyone with informatin about the whereabouts of Adrian Navaro should immediately call 911. Police had not declared him a suspect in the case.
“It’s still under investigation,” Paul said.
Contact reporter Steven Slivka at sslivka@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenSlivka
