Man killed over parking dispute remembered by family as full of life

Stacie Owens got a call out of the blue from her boyfriend at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday.

Chris Allen said he just wanted to tell her “I love you.” Within three hours, Allen was fatally shot outside his southeast Las Vegas home after a neighbor became upset over a parking spot.

Owens described Allen, 33, as bubbly, uplifting and wanting the best for everyone. He “was very, very goofy,” and made everyone laugh. The couple had been together for about four years.

“The life of the party,” Owens said of her boyfriend.

After Allen called Owens on Oct. 18, he went to the gym. She sent him a list of things they needed from the store, but he never responded. Around 1 p.m., Owens’ daughter texted saying her school, Courtney Junior High School, had been placed on lockdown. The school is directly behind the 5200 block of Tipper Avenue where Owens and Allen lived.

Allen called 911 around 12:40 p.m. saying someone was shooting at him and that he had been shot, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest warrant.

Witnesses said Allen had parked his Dodge Challenger in front of his neighbor’s house to get help with his car’s brakes. Allen’s car was also in front of the home of Robert Salone, 40, who came home and yelled at Allen to move his car.

Allen yelled back that he would move his car in a few minutes and Salone ran into his home, re-emerged with two handguns and started firing, according to the warrant.

The coroner’s office ruled Allen died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

“Honestly, it’s been traumatizing. The whole situation,” Owens said.

She said her boyfriend didn’t know Salone, who was charged with open murder for his killing.

Police arrested Salone on Nov. 22 at his home.

Salone is due in court Jan. 24. He remains in custody on $1 million bail, court records show.

Allen grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his mom Kathy Carter. He is the second oldest of three boys.

“Always trying to make people laugh or bring a smile to their face, and he had no problems coming out of his comfort zone and doing something silly to make you laugh,” Carter said.

Carter gave Allen the nickname “bear” because he was a big baby who “had all this hair on him.”

“He left Milwaukee because there was more opportunity in Vegas and to get away from the crime. Milwaukee is so dangerous and for him to go to Vegas and get killed in Vegas breaks my heart,” Carter said, her voice breaking.

Carter, who lives in Houston, said she texts every day with Owens, who told her Allen had been shot.

“He loved Stacie so much — so, so much — and they were supposed to be together and they had a family, a unit. They were happy. More than anything my son was happy,” Carter said. “He found himself and it’s the only thing I ever want for my boys is that I always told them just be happy because I feel like if you’re happy, you’re doing something right.”

Allen’s aunt, Jennifer Salfer, said her nephew will be dearly missed.

“Chris was a bit of a handful growing up but transitioned into an admirable man,” she said in an email. “He lived life to the fullest, had a heart of gold and a smile that lit up any room.”

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.