Similarity of deaths explored

Kevin Franchow and Dominique Evans did not have much in common.

Franchow, 38, had the intellect of a child. Evans, 19, worked with children.

But both men met similar fates this year: beaten, robbed and shot to death in a public place by apparent strangers.

The two seemingly random slayings have homicide detectives wondering whether the same suspects committed both crimes.

Las Vegas police Lt. Lew Roberts said the possibility is being investigated. There's nothing yet that ties the cases together.

Evans was killed early Sunday morning in a quiet neighborhood four miles away from the park where Franchow was gunned down. Evans was walking to his car outside his house about 2:30 a.m. His girlfriend was with him. Police said that's when a car pulled up and a man with a gun got out.

Evans was robbed, pistol-whipped and shot.

"It's another one of these heinous, ridiculous deals where they rob a guy and shoot them for no reason," he said.

Police believe that Evans wasn't the only victim of the suspects that night. Just five minutes before he was gunned down, authorities received a call from a motorist a few blocks away from Evans' home, on Edenville Drive, near Desert Inn and Cimarron roads.

The motorist reported seeing a person being shot at and chased by someone who matched the description of the suspect in Evans' murder. The suspect vehicle also was the same.

Police have yet to locate the victim in that incident.

At Evans' home on Monday, family members mourned the loss of the teen who was described as "full of life."

"He would make the best out of the worst situation," said one uncle. "He didn't have any problems with anybody."

Family members asked that their names not be used.

They said Evans had been at a family gathering the night before and had been hanging out with friends until returning home just minutes before the shooting. He and his girlfriend were going to leave to get something to eat when the suspects approached him.

Evans graduated from Spring Valley High School in 2008 and was coaching basketball at Desert Breeze Park, which is across the street from his neighborhood. He also coached his 4-year-old sister's soccer team, family said.

Neighbors and friends have been leaving flowers and stuffed animals at the crime scene across the street from his house. A basketball was left with the writing, "We love you Dom!" It was signed, "Your Desert Breeze family."

"Dom was just really a sweet guy," an aunt said.

The suspect in his killing is described as a black man. The car the suspect was in was black, possibly a Nissan Altima, according to police. An Asian man and a Hispanic man also might have been inside the car, according to police.

The suspects in Franchow's murder were described as young black men.

Franchow had diabetes, wore hearing aids and had the intellect of a 10-year-old when he was killed in the early morning hours of July 26.

He was found in the AnSan Sister City Park, on Ducharme Avenue near Buffalo Drive, with his glasses knocked off and suffering from several gunshot wounds to his back. Moments before, the suspects had punched a woman on a swing in the mouth and took her cell phone.

The suspects tried to rob Franchow but didn't get anything; he didn't carry a wallet. Neighbors said he exercised in the park at night because a skin condition prevented him from being in the sun. Nobody has been arrested in the case.

Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to call the homicide section at 828-3700 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.