Woman shot to death in church parking lot

Monday, Oct. 14, 2002 | 11:15 a.m.

A case of domestic violence led to the fatal shooting of a Las Vegas woman on her way to church Sunday morning, and the apparent suicide of her estranged husband.

The husband confronted Denise William-Robinson, 50, about 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the First Church of Religious Science, 1420 E. Harmon Ave., Metro Police Capt. Dennis Cobb said.

William-Robinson, who attended services at the church every week, was shot several times, and died Sunday afternoon at University Medical Center.

William-Robinson's husband, who has not yet been identified by the Clark County coroner, was confronted in the parking lot by an off-duty Metro officer, who lives near the church and heard the gunshots, Cobb said.

The officer saw the man leave the church in a car, and when the man raised his handgun the officer shot at him several times, police said.

Metro officers searching for the man were helped by residents, who pointed to a car parked in a lot at 2340 E. Tropicana Ave., near Eastern Avenue, Cobb said, about 10 minutes later.

As officers surrounded the vehicle, a shot was heard from inside. No officers in the parking lot fired their weapons, Cobb said. The suspect was found dead inside the vehicle.