‘You hurt my mom,’ boy said in confronting alleged killer, police say

After his mom was shot dead in their house, a 6-year-old boy walked away from the home while talking with her mom’s boyfriend, who is now accused in her killing, police say.

“You hurt my mom,” the boy said to the man, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

“Your mom will be fine,” the man allegedly responded.

The 1 a.m. exchange between the woman’s young son and her accused killer shortly after the Oct. 27 slaying was seen by a neighbor who also heard loud “bangs” coming from the house in southwest Las Vegas, according to the arrest report.

Yetundi Yvonne Negitra Maples, 46, was shot in the head and killed inside her home at 5806 Spectacular Bid Street, near West Russell Road and South Buffalo Drive.

Maples’ boyfriend, Ishmil Deon Swafford, 43, was arrested on Oct. 28.

After his conversation with the suspect, the barefoot and shirtless little boy crossed the street to neighbor Alejandra Verduzco’s house.

“I opened the door and he said, ‘My mom just got killed,’” said Verduzco, 29, said the day of the slaying.

The boy’s name and age was redacted from police documents, but neighbors on the street recalled him proudly telling them he was six years old when he would walk his dog.

According to the arrest report, Metro police were dispatched to the house at about 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 27 after another neighbor on the street called 911.

Officers arrived to find Maples dead, with a gunshot wound to the front of her head. According to police, a .45 caliber cartridge casing was found just outside the bedroom, with four additional .45 cartridges found in the bedroom near Maples’ body.

The boy, Maples and Swafford all lived together in the house. The boy was taken into the care of police.

Later that day, police interviewed the boy at the Southern Nevada Children’s Advocacy Center, with detectives and a child protective service specialist present.

The boy told police he was upstairs in his room when he heard Swafford and his mom talking downstairs. The boy then heard a gunshot and ran down to find his mom with her face covered in blood.

The boy said Swafford was the “person who shot my mom” because “she got angry.” But Swafford responded that “he didn’t do it,” the boy recounted to police.

During the interview, the boy “would become upset both physically and emotionally,” police said.

Swafford, who was arrested on a charge of open murder with a deadly weapon, is being held in the Clark County Detention Center without bail, records show. His next court date was set for Nov. 29.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com or 561-324-6421. Follow @BrettClarkson_ on Twitter.