Bodycam footage released of Strip shooting suspect’s arrest

Henderson police released body camera footage of a 41-year-old man turning himself in and being arrested in connection with the livestreamed killing of two people on the Strip after a months-long social media feud.

The video shows Manuel Ruiz standing in the hall of a Henderson Police Station. Facing the wall, he was handcuffed by a police officer and brought a chair to sit down in.

Ruiz is charged with two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon in connection with the deaths of 44-year-old Rodney Finley and 43-year-old Tanisha Finley.

A video apparently livestreamed by the Finleys before their deaths shows a man alleged to be Ruiz arguing with a woman in front of the Bellagio. The man pulls out a gun and shoots someone off-screen before the woman grabs the camera, which then falls over.

According to a police report, Rodney Finley and Ruiz “had an ongoing feud since Halloween 2023.” A review of a YouTube channel believed to belong to Rodney Finley shows several videos engaging with Ruiz since November 2023.

After turning himself in, Ruiz told police he shot Rodney Finley in self-defense, claiming he believed Finley was reaching for a firearm in his waistband. No guns were found on either victim or at the scene.

Close to two dozen people attended a vigil held for the Finleys Tuesday night in front of the Bellagio near where the couple was killed.

Contact Finnegan Belleau at fbelleau@reviewjournal.com.