Las Vegas woman whose burned body was found in March died of strangulation

Geranique Bentley’s official cause of death was determined Wednesday, more than a month after her body was found burned in a northwest valley apartment complex.

The 20-year-old died of strangulation, the Clark County coroner’s office said.

Bentley’s body was found March 11 in the rear of an apartment complex at 737 Rock Springs Drive, near Washington Avenue.

On March 16, her on-again, off-again boyfriend Raymond Quinsell Lewis IV, 21, was taken into custody and booked on one count of open murder. Las Vegas Justice Court records show the district attorney’s office have since tacked on one count each of arson in the third degree, domestic battery by strangulation, and destroying or concealing evidence.

According to his Metropolitan Police Department arrest report, Lewis told police he strangled his girlfriend and burned her body after she called him lazy during an argument.

Lewis removed Bentley’s clothing, wrapped her body in a blanket and took it to the southeast corner of the apartment complex, his arrest report showed. He told police he wanted to bury her “but realized he was pressed for time.”

Lewis is being held at the Clark County Detention Center without bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 12.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.