Police hope checkpoints find rapper’s killer

Wearing his late nephew's 2006 high school varsity jacket, Ron Portaro stood Wednesday night in the parking lot where the 22-year-old was gunned down a week earlier.

Portaro was at the crime scene where Las Vegas police were planning to conduct voluntary traffic checkpoints later Wednesday night in a search for witnesses. He said he was there to seek the community's help.

"It's a plea to every mom and dad, aunt, uncle, brother, sister who might have seen one little thing that might help us find who did this," Portaro said. "We want justice, and we want it swiftly."

Homicide Sgt. Jon Scott said 10 officers canvassed the area north of the Tenaya Creek Brewery, 3101 N. Tenaya Way near Cheyenne Avenue, in search of clues in the death of entertainer Michael Alano Portaro.

Patrol officers were to conduct the checkpoints between 10:30 p.m. and midnight -- about the same time the slaying occurred.

Scott said traffic in the northbound and southbound lanes in the 3100 block of Tenaya by the brewery would be slowed during the checkpoint.

Scott would not say whether police had a suspect or suspects in the crime.

"We have a lot, but we want more," he said about evidence in the case.

"Even though someone might have seen something that they don't think is important, it might be very important in our investigation," he said.

Michael Portaro was killed in the brewery parking lot about 11:25 p.m. March 30. Police think he was there selling tickets to an upcoming show for his rap group, Ekoh. He was a dancer and hype man in the group.

Information on a possible motive has not been released by police, who say they suspect Portaro was intentionally targeted. His car was stolen after he was shot.

Surveillance video of the parking lot of the brewery possibly captured Portaro's killer sitting on a nearby bench, said Karl Herrera, the brewery's general manager.

After Portaro was alone and sitting in his car with the door open, the suspect walked up, shot him and drove away in Portaro's car.

The video did not capture the slaying but showed Portaro's car being driven away while he was slumped on the pavement, Herrera said.

Portaro was found with money on his person, leading investigators to discount robbery as a motive. The car was found abandoned.

Herrera said neither Portaro nor the gunman set foot inside the bar before the shooting.

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts of the Metropolitan Police Department said last week that nobody inside the bar heard gunshots and that Portaro's body was discovered some time later by people going out the front door.

"It certainly didn't seem like he was doing anything wrong," Roberts said. "He was just trying to sell tickets."

His death has shaken Portaro's friends and the Faith Lutheran Junior/Senior High School community, where he played quarterback and graduated in 2006.

Portaro's stage name was Mikey P. He was at the brew pub selling tickets to his group's concert in Henderson.

Anybody with information on the slaying is urged to call the police department's homicide section at 828-3521 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 385-5555.

Cash rewards of up to $2,000 are available to tipsters who provide information that directly leads to a felony arrest or indictment.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.