Manhunt ends with arrest of killing suspect

Jen Lawson and Stephen Curran

Monday, Nov. 8, 2004 | 11:16 a.m.

A 25-year-old Las Vegas man arrested Sunday for allegedly killing a woman with a shotgun last week had accused the victim of stealing from him, according to a Metro Police arrest report.

Sean Sales had been the subject of a three-day manhunt and his photo had been publicized. Someone spotted him about 7 a.m. Sunday in northwest Las Vegas and called police. Sales tried to get away and officers used a Taser gun and pepper spray to subdue him. Police said he had committed several carjackings while he was on the run.

He was being held without bail this morning at the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder with a weapon, attempted robbery, two counts of robbery, and two counts of burglary, authorities said.

Acquaintances described Sales as "bad news," the arrest report says.

The victim, Andrea "Andi" Hendricks, 25, was staying at a house the 5300 block of Images Court near Decatur Boulevard and Meadows Lane with several other people. The morning of her death, a man living in the house said Hendricks and Sales were fighting over money, he told police.

Hendricks hid in a bedroom closet and Sales walked into the room with a shotgun, saying, "You stole from me," the arrest report says.

Witnesses said Hendricks denied taking money from Sales and heard her pleading for her life. Sales allegedly fired several times at Hendricks, hitting her in the head and leg. Sales then fled from the house.

People who knew him told police that he often had a shotgun with him.

On Friday, the search for Sales had included officers swarming through and around the Desert Rose apartment complex at 29 North 28th, near Valley Street on Friday.

That morning a plain-clothed police officer recognized Sales at the Desert Rose complex. The officer followed Sales past nearby Roy Martin Elementary School before Sales losing him, Montoya said.

More than 20 officers then canvassed the apartment complex, which consists of small studio apartments geared toward low-income tenants. The officers knocked on doors while a Metro helicopter circled above.

Roy Martin and two nearby other schools, Sunrise Acres and Variety elementary schools, were locked down during the search, which lasted less than an hour.

Sales was initially seen with a man who had recently been evicted from the complex, Montoya said. Police would not release that man's name Friday.

Sales was believed to have jumped a fence surrounding the complex, Montoya said.

Desert Rose, which bills itself as fully gated, is surrounded by low-level walls, many of which have holes large enough to walk through.

James Luna, who manages the complex, said security is rarely a problem at the complex, which rents studio apartments for $355 a month.

"On occasion we have people jump the wall, but this is probably the safest place on 28th Street," he said.

Luna, who has managed the complex for 12 years, would not identify the man police said was with Sales when the officer spotted him other than to say his name was "Rob."

Luna said he did not know if Rob knew Sales, but that he had recognized Sales' police mug shot.

"We weren't sure if he was with Rob," Luna said. "But he was in and out, so we can conclude he knew someone."