Las Vegas police arrest suspect in 2 violent robberies

A man arrested by Las Vegas police this week is suspected in two violent robberies, according to an arrest report.

Metropolitan Police Department officers on Wednesday arrested Dezmond Holmes, 18, who is suspected in two robberies in March and April in which he pointed a gun and hit both alleged victims, knocking out their teeth, according to Holmes’ arrest report.

On March 4, a woman called police to report she had been robbed by “8 young males” who approached her in her apartment complex, the report said. One of the robbers pointed a gun at the woman and hit her in the mouth, knocking out a tooth, when she refused to hand over her car keys, the woman told police.

On April 8, a man at Alterra Apartments, at 2701 N. Decatur Blvd., told police he was in his car smoking a cigarette when “two males” knocked on his car window, the report said.

The two “immediately struck (the man) with firearms” when he opened the car door, the report said. The man was hit multiple times with the firearm in his head, face, arms and back.

Both suspects ran after taking several items from the man, including $2,130 in cash, the report said. The man lost two teeth. Police also found fingerprints on the car door and trunk, one of which was identified as Holmes’ print, the report said.

According to the report, Holmes had recently been released from the Clark County Detention Center in connection with a separate case. An “anonymous source” sent police a picture showing Holmes holding a gun with the caption, “I’m out still on that gang sh—,” the report said.

Court records show that in early March, Holmes was arrested and later charged with grand larceny of an automobile. He was released on his own recognizance on March 10.

The woman who was robbed was able to pick Holmes out of a picture lineup, but the man could not, the report said. The man said “he never got a great look at the other subject that was inside his car while he was held at gunpoint,” the report said.

In an interview with police, Holmes’ said he “had nothing to do” with the robberies, the report said.

Holmes faces two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, and battery with intent to commit mayhem, robbery or grand larceny, court records show.

He remained in jail Saturday without bail. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for May 28.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-2040. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.