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Felon charged with murder in March shooting in Las Vegas

Updated May 7, 2021 - 8:06 am

A felon who previously dodged a murder charge in Las Vegas has been arrested in a March shooting that left a man dead in the central Las Vegas Valley.

Clark County Detention Center records show Deandre Gathrite, 32, was booked at the Clark County Detention Center Wednesday on a warrant charging him with murder in the March 22 shooting of Christopher Brown, 42, of Las Vegas. Brown was found near East Sahara Avenue and Van Patten Street around 2:15 a.m. when police were alerted by ShotSpotter technology to gunshots in the area.

Brown subsequently died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds.

Las Vegas police did not immediately disclose why they believe Gathrite was involved in the shooting. Police have denied a request for an arrest report in the case.

Court and police records indicate Gathrite has an extensive criminal history including a prior murder arrest in the Las Vegas Valley.

In February 2018, Gathrite was charged in the killing of Kenyon Tyler, 26, who was shot to death on Van Patten Street — the same area where Brown was slain nearly three years later. Authorities said Gathrite and Tyler, members of rival gangs, argued before the shooting, according to Gathrite’s arrest report in the prior case. Narcotics also were found at the scene. Gathrite was described as a four-time convicted felon by authorities at the time.

Court records indicate the murder charge in Tyler’s death eventually was dismissed. It was not immediately clear why on Friday morning, but Gathrite’s arrest report in that case indicates he told police that Tyler was armed at the time of the shooting. The arrest report from the 2018 homicide also indicates police implicated Gathrite in part by using a confidential witness.

News archives indicate Gathrite also was present at an April 2017 homicide in which a man was shot to death at the Budget Suites of America, 4855 Boulder Highway, near Flamingo Road. Gathrite was not charged in that case but another man was.

Las Vegas Justice Court records indicate Gathrite has had 26 different criminal cases lodged against him since 2006. Charges ranged from theft to attempted murder and being a fugitive.

Gathrite is scheduled to be back in court for a bail hearing on Monday morning regarding the charge stemming from Brown’s death.

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.

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