Police try to link suspect with security guard’s killing

Jen Lawson

Friday, Jan. 23, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

Metro Police, who arrested a 22-year-old man on murder charges in a slaying last week in West Las Vegas, believe he also might be the person who killed an apartment security guard Tuesday night.

Markette Tillman is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on a murder charge in connection with the Jan. 14 slaying of Brandon Crosby, 22, on the street in the 1700 block of North J Street.

Metro Lt. Jim Moses said Crosby got into an argument with a group of men in the courtyard of an apartment complex at 1701 N. J St. As Crosby was getting into his car, which was parked across the street, a gunman opened fire.

The first bullet knocked Crosby into the vehicle, and then several more killed him, Moses said.

Homicide detectives gathered evidence they said pointed toward Tillman as the suspect. They gave their information to investigators with Metro's repeat offenders program, who found Tillman at the Sandy Lake Apartments, 3650 E. Lake Mead Boulevard.

Detectives set up surveillance and devised a plan to arrest him when he put out his garbage. When he came out of his apartment Wednesday, detectives arrested him, Moses said.

Police also want to question Tillman about the fatal shooting of apartment complex security guard Brian L. Wilcox, 29, of Henderson, police said.

While patrolling the Sherman Annex Apartments at 1710 H St. late Tuesday, Wilcox and another security guard encountered several young men who had been banned from the property in the past, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

The group became hostile, Moses said, and the guards decided to leave the area until more help could arrive.

As Wilcox and the other guard pedaled away on their bicycles, someone shot at them. Wilcox was hit in the back.

Authorities also are investigating whether Tillman has gang ties, police said.

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