Suspect in shooting recent parolee

Kim Smith

Friday, June 1, 2001 | 10:25 a.m.

One of the six suspected gang members accused of shooting a North Las Vegas man to death in March was released less than a year ago in connection with another gang-related shooting.

According to court records, Ashley Bennett, 27, was released from the Nevada Department of Prisons in June 2000 after serving slightly more than three years for assault with a deadly weapon.

Bennett is one of six men accused of shooting Joe Williams, 26, to death March 3. He and four of the others were arrested last week in connection with the incident. A fifth man remains at large.

Each of the men faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder with use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

They are being held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center.

In an affidavit filed in North Las Vegas Justice Court, North Las Vegas Police Detective Michael Bodnar said he spoke with a woman on May 1 who said she witnessed the shooting.

The woman said Williams was walking with Anthony Gantt, 17, and Lailoni Morrison, 21, on Morton Avenue when Williams raised his hands in the air and Morrison pulled out a gun and fired it at him. The witness alleges that Bennett, Louis Matthews, 19, Gantt, Jermaine Webb, 16, and Antwan Graves, 21, also opened fire.

The witness said that after the shooting stopped, Gantt walked up to Williams as he lay on the ground and fired four or five more shots into Williams. The woman later picked all six men out of separate photo lineups.

Police are still looking for Graves, but the other five men are scheduled to appear in North Las Vegas Justice Court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Bodnar also writes in his affidavit that Gantt corroborated much of the witness' statement.

Gantt told Bodnar that he and the other men were at the home of a friend whose brother, Mark Doyle, had been shot to death the night before. While there, they decided to shoot up the house of a rival gang member.

However, before they got there, they saw a security officer and began walking in another direction. According to Bodnar's affidavit, Gantt said they came across Williams and opened fired.

Gantt identified the weapons used by each of the men and shell casings found at the scene corroborate his story.

Bodnar wrote that Williams died after being shot 16 times.

The affidavit also indicates another witness reported Bennett bragged about shooting Williams and the fact Williams was a member of the gang believed to be responsible for the February slaying death of Ricky Chiles.

Court records indicate Bennett was sentenced to two to five years in prison in April 1997 after pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by an ex-felon.

Bennett was accused of firing seven shots into the vehicle of a gang member in July 1996. The victim told police that he had gotten into an earlier altercation with Bennett while in the Clark County Detention Center and ended up receiving 14 stitches as a result.

Bennett was charged with possession of a firearm by an ex-felon because of a 1994 conviction for attempted possession of a controlled substance and a 1996 conviction for carrying a concealed weapon.

Matthews, too, has a criminal history.

According to court records, Matthews is scheduled to be sentenced to one to four years in prison on June 14. Matthews pleaded guilty April 24 to possession of a controlled substance. He was out of jail on a $10,000 bail at the time of the Williams' shooting.

Police allege that when they stopped Matthews Nov. 15 for driving with his car stereo too loud they found 38 plastic bags filled with marijuana. Eleven of the bags were found tucked in between the two sets of underwear he was wearing and he also was carrying nearly $1,000 in $20 bills.

When Matthews pleaded guilty in that case, court records show prosecutors agreed to dismiss four other felony charges against him.

Matthews had been charged with trafficking and possession of a controlled substance, possession of a short-barrelled shotgun and removing the serial number of a firearm in July.

According to court records, police found cocaine, marijuana and the shotgun in Matthews' possession after responding to a domestic violence call.

Matthews' girlfriend told police that she was forced to jump out of a window after Matthews beat her up and threatened to shoot her with the shotgun.

It is unclear if domestic violence charges were filed against Matthews in addition to the drugs and weapons charges.

Court records indicate police found the girlfriend with a shoe print on her forehead, blackened eyes, a split lip and bruises on her arms and legs.

Morrison, court records show, was placed on five years probation in October 1999 after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance.