Judge refuses to release suspect in fatal bus stop shooting near Sam’s Town

A judge Wednesday ruled that three defendants in a 2021 bus stop slaying will continue to be held without bail, despite the arguments of a defense attorney that his client did nothing wrong.

Alexander Hinton, 26, Tajon Walker, 23, and Devante Reynolds, 32, face charges of open murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the killing of Nicolas Thomas, 30. The suspects were booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Thursday.

Police responded to Sam’s Town in the early hours of Nov. 18, 2021, and found Thomas, who said he was shot at a bus stop close to Boulder Highway and Nellis Boulevard. He later died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Who brought a gun to a fist fight?

At a bail hearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia, defense attorney Craig Mueller asked for his client, Hinton, to be released on his own recognizance or bail of up to $10,000.

Mueller said his client has lived in Las Vegas his entire life, coaches basketball for a team called the Las Vegas Outlaws, has three children and works as IT technician for the Tao Group.

“I’ve read the entire declaration of arrest,” he said. “I don’t see any criminal wrongdoing on behalf of Mr. Hinton.”

In Mueller’s view, Hinton did nothing but “show up and provide moral support for his friend.”

But Chief Deputy District Attorney Ercan Iscan said he believed Hinton accompanied Walker to the bus stop where Thomas sat and acted as a lookout, then accompanied Walker back to the vehicle.

Hinton also provided a gun, and an autopsy found a bullet that matched the kind of Glock Hinton had purchased, according to Iscan.

“Mr. Hinton didn’t hand the gun to anybody, didn’t hurt anybody, didn’t get involved with the shooting,” Mueller replied, adding, “Tajon Walker and Mr. Hinton said Tajon grabbed the gun out of the car. Now, who was the one who brought the gun to a fist fight? Tajon Walker’s got some criminal liability here apparently. Mr. Hinton does not.”

“Respectfully, your honor, if the argument is that my client brought a gun to a fist fight, his client brought the gun,” said Ashley Sisolak, who represents Walker.

The judge granted prosecutors’ request to continue to hold Hinton without bail.

“From what I’ve read, they’ve all confessed to some sort of involvement,” Letizia said.

Sisolak and Chief Deputy Special Public Defender Scott Bindrup, Reynolds’ attorney, did not argue for bail for their clients, who continue to be held without bail.

Detective testifies about video

As prosecutors played surveillance video, Metropolitan Police Department homicide Detective James Gollmer testified that the video showed Walker and Hinton, plus the Kia Reynolds drove.

Walker and Hinton approached the bus stop where Thomas sat, Gollmer said, and Hinton adjusted a mask over his face. Walker wore a hoodie, the detective said.

The footage showed Thomas sitting at the bus stop, but no image of the suspect Gollmer identified as Walker was visible except the person’s shoes.

Hinton told police he had received a call from Walker “advising that he got into an altercation on the bus,” Gollmer testified. Hinton retrieved a Glock 44 and said he provided it to Walker, Gollmer said.

Hinton also told police that Thomas “made a motion towards grabbing a firearm” before he was shot, Gollmer said.

But the detective testified that Hinton’s claims were not supported by the surveillance footage or witness accounts.

After the shooting, Gollmer said, the suspects ran from the scene.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow@BrighamNoble on X.