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Man allegedly aided 2 teen boys in shooting death, police say

Updated May 20, 2023 - 4:35 pm

A man arrested Wednesday in the shooting death of a man who owed him $400 allegedly gave two teen boys handguns before the shooting, and afterward told his roommate he thought they were “taking the fall” for him, police said.

The roommate of David Rodriguez-Kepple, 28, said that Rodriguez-Kepple had read news articles that his two 15-year-old friends, Landon Richards and Robert Farabee, were facing murder charges in the Feb. 10 killing of Carlos Vargas Martinez, 46, of Las Vegas, according to a report by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Rodriguez-Kepple “began speaking more openly” about the shooting when he learned that Robert and Landon were being charged as adults, and he believed that Landon and Robert were “taking the fall” for the murder, the roommate told detectives.

The police report released Wednesday night shed more light on the alleged involvement of Rodriguez-Kepple in the planning of Martinez’s demise.

The roommate told police that Martinez received marijuana from Rodriguez-Kepple and was supposed to pay $400 for it, but never did. When Rodriguez-Kepple tried to collect the money Martinez threatened to “kill his family and send gang members after him,” detectives wrote.

On Feb. 9, Rodriguez-Kepple paid Richards $100 to “scope” Martinez’s home. The next day, Rodriguez-Kepple gave the 15-year-olds handguns “after he had wiped them down with alcohol and David told them they needed to do whatever they had to do to get the job done,” they said.

Rodriguez-Kepple also drove the pair in his silver Jeep Cherokee to an area near Martinez’s house, dropped them off, heard gunshots and got a phone call from Farabee, police reported.

The suspect tried to call the boys back and drove away when he could not reach them. Later, Rodriguez-Kepple tried to change the color of his Jeep, according to police.

Based on the circumstances, cell phone records, video surveillance and witness statements, police concluded there was enough probable cause to arrest Rodriguez-Kepple in the conspiracy that led to the death of Martinez.

Meanwhile, police also also arrested Rodriguez-Kepple on Wednesday on suspicion of felony possession with the intent to sell marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, THC concentrate edibles and cocaine.

Narcotics detectives stated in an arrest report that the large amount of prepackaged drugs allegedly found at the suspect’s residence in North Las Vegas was consistent with the sales offered at “Marijuana Pop Up Parties” that are set up in rented rooms or warehouses.

Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.

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