Body found inside burning car in northwest Las Vegas

By Mike Shoro Las Vegas Review-Journal

8 years ago

Crime scene personnel and detectives investigate a burned car that contained a body in the 6600 block of Castor Tree Way, near Rainbow Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue, on Thursday, June 21, 2017. (Richard Brian/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @vegasphotograph

Homicide detectives are investigating after a body was found inside a burning car early Thursday morning, June 22, 2017, at the intersection of Chandler Mews and Castor Tree Way in northwest Las Vegas. (Mike Shoro/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Homicide detectives are investigating after a body was found inside a burning car early Thursday in the northwest valley.

Crews were called about 4:40 a.m. to a neighborhood near North Rainbow Boulevard and Smoke Ranch Road on reports of a car fire, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

Firefighters saw the inside of a sedan was on fire at the corner of Castor Tree Way and Chandler Mews Drive. A body was behind the steering wheel, Szymanski said.

“They didn’t see the person at first until they knocked the flames down,” Szymanski said.

The Metropolitan Police Department and fire investigators responded to the scene. Detectives determined the car had been in the neighborhood four about 40 minutes prior to the fire.

Police said the vehicle that burned matched the description of a vehicle used in a robbery on the 2200 block of North Rainbow Boulevard. Detectives are investigating whether the robbery and the homicide are connected.

Police said a dark SUV with custom rims was seen in the area before the car fire was reported.

Anyone with information on the homicide or the robbery can contact Metro’s homicide section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 to remain anonymous.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.