Suspect sought in murder in trailer

Heather Rawlyk

Friday, July 23, 2004 | 8:42 a.m.

Metro Police are looking to arrest a 63-year-old Las Vegas man in connection with the killing of 48-year-old David Leal in the victim's mobile home near Nellis Air Force Base Saturday night.

Police allege Joe Armstead is the man who shot Leal in the chest in the trailer in the 4000 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North about 7:35 p.m. Saturday, according to the arrest warrant.

Leal, known by friends as "Indian Dave," was transported to University Medical Center's Trauma Unit, where he died less than an hour after the shooting, police said.

A witness to the shooting told police that a man matching Armstead's description entered the mobile home and told Leal that he wanted the money he was owed, according to the warrant.

A second witness, who was across the street at the time of the shooting, told police she heard gunshots and ran from the area, the warrant says. The woman told police Leal's visitor's car was black with a gray stripe along the bottom and a light-colored top.

Later that evening, detectives located a 1989 Dodge Daytona matching that description at the intersection of Lake Mead and Nellis boulevards. Police reported seeing a "blood-like substance" on the driver-side door, the warrant says.

Police determined Armstead to be the registered owner of the vehicle.

Detectives contacted Armstead at his home in the 4200 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North, the warrant says. Armstead allegedly told police he knew Leal and "visits him at the mobile home park," but he denied being at Leal's home on Saturday.

Several witnesses however, linked both Armstead and the Dodge Daytona to Saturday's shooting, the warrant says. Investigators also noted that the motor oil found at the crime scene was similar to motor oil leaking from Armstead's Dodge.

Detectives attempted to re-contact Armstead at his home on Monday, but his brother told them that Armstead had left earlier that morning and had not returned. Police continued to try to locate Armstead throughout the week, but were unsuccessful, the warrant says.

Neighbors told detectives they had not seen Armstead for a couple days.

Armstead is black, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds. He is wanted on charges of murder with a deadly weapon, police said.

Anyone with information about Armstead's whereabouts can contact Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or Metro at 229-3521.