‘More than any family should endure’: Fundraiser started for slain maintenance worker

A fundraising campaign for Chris Brassard, one of three people killed inside a west Las Vegas apartment, has exceeded its goal, with proceeds to go to his sister to pay for expenses related to his death.

On Friday, a GoFundMe website set up for Brassard, who died June 27, had gathered $22,310 from more than 200 donors, well above its target of $15,000.

“I am asking for your help to offset these costs and allow Chris’s family to concentrate on what matters most right now - mourning and memorializing him,” Jason Hendershaw wrote on his friend’s online charity page.

“On top of already expensive funeral costs, his loved ones will have additional travel costs as they work to collect his belongings and attend what will certainly be multiple court proceedings,” stated Hendershaw, a Massachusetts resident running the fundraiser on behalf of Brassard’s sister, Ashley Cawley.

“The tragedy of his murder alone is more than any family should have to endure; for them to also strain to absorb these financial setbacks would only add to their suffering,” he wrote.

“Chris was an amazing, caring individual who would do anything he could for his family and friends,” Hendershaw wrote. “His loyalty and empathy will be forever missed. Please help to honor his life by donating to this fund.”

Hendershaw included photos of Brassard, and ended the crowdfunding post with: “We love you Chris and miss your face already. Rest easy, dear friend.”

Brassard, 45, a maintenance worker at the Rancho De Montana apartments at 9105 W. Flamingo Road, died from sharp force injuries while attempting to perform a welfare check inside a unit where a citizen said he had not heard from a woman who taught dance classes at his studio.

The woman was Dina Vail, 80, who along with her boyfriend, 43-year-old Andrew Graden were found dead in the unit they shared with Vail’s grandson Spencer McDonald, 30, who was arrested in the three homicides.

Brassard had entered the apartment that morning with a second maintenance worker when he was attacked and killed while the second man was wounded but able to escape to the management office shortly before police arrested McDonald, who was holding an object described as a “mace” outside the complex.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, McDonald confessed to the killings in an interview with detectives, saying that he lived with the bodies of Vail and Graden in the apartment for a period of days before allegedly attacking Brassard.

Late last month, with McDonald facing three charges of open murder and one of attempted murder, a judge ordered him held without bail.

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