Henderson police name teen son as suspect in fatal stabbings of mother, brother

A 16-year-old faces murder charges in connection with the deaths of his mother and brother in Henderson last week.

Adrian Navarro-Canales, 16, is accused of killing his mother, Elvira Canales-Gomez, 40, and his brother Cesar Navarro, 9. Both victims were stabbed in the chest.

Henderson police previously said Navarro-Canales, who has not been seen since the bodies were discovered Friday, was not a suspect in the killings. But on Sunday, detectives had enough probable cause against the teenager to obtain an arrest warrant, police said.

Employees at the mother’s workplace were worried after she did not show up for her job Wednesday and did not return calls, Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said.

Police later discovered the younger boy hadn’t been to school since Wednesday. Navarro-Canales was not enrolled at school.

Chris Herrin owns the Bread and Butter bakery in Henderson and worked with Canales-Gomez for about a decade.

They first met while working in the kitchen at Bouchon, a fine-dining restaurant in The Venetian, he said, and she worked part-time for Herrin after he opened his bakery.

“No one worked harder than her,” Herrin said. “I know that’s a cliche and everyone says it, but no one did.

“She was the nicest person around. She didn’t swear, drink or smoke. She worked two jobs, and she went to church.”

Herrin said he was surprised to learn her teen son was a suspect. Navarro-Canales was quiet and never seemed aggressive, he said.

“He would sit in the corner and do his homework,” he said.

Herrin said he was surprised that the boy has evaded police for almost a week.

“That’s a long time for him to be out on his own,” he said. The whole incident is “messed up,” he said.

The family’s apartment is on the west side of Henderson in the 11000 block of South Eastern Avenue near Sunridge Heights Parkway.

Paul said anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Navarro-Canales should call 911.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Follow @blasky on Twitter.