Slaying suspects just wanted to shoot a car

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005 | 11:03 a.m.

Longtime friends Jamar Green and Terrance Bowser told Metro Police they had joked about what it would be like to shoot a vehicle, according to the police report about their arrests.

After eating at Green's mother's house Monday night, and after Bowser downed some Hennessey cognac, they decided to go cruising in a cream and silver Lincoln Continental that belonged to Bowser's mother, they allegedly told police.

Green, 20, said he kept his pistol grip pump action shotgun with him at all times "because it's dangerous without it," his arrest report says. He held it on his lap as Bowser drove around northwest Las Vegas.

Shortly before midnight they came upon a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina at a stop sign on Lone Mountain Road near Decatur Boulevard.

The driver, 60-year-old John McCoy of North Las Vegas, was heading home after working his shift as slot manager at the Rainbow Club and Casino in downtown Henderson.

McCoy was a half-mile from the house he shared with his wife of 20 years and 10-year-old daughter.

Police said Bowser pulled up alongside McCoy's car and Green fired three or four rounds of 12-gauge buckshot at it, then Bowser made a U-turn and fled.

One round penetrated the driver side door of McCoy's car and hit him in the left arm and side, the police report says. He drove west on Lone Mountain for a short distance before crashing into a block wall.

Several nearby residents and passersby stopped to help McCoy. One woman "was trying to comfort McCoy by talking to him," the report says. "McCoy told her he was shot twice and the car was a Lincoln Continental." North Las Vegas Police Officer Dave Smith was on patrol in the area when a resident flagged him down and told him that shots had been fired in the area, Officer Tim Bedwell, North Las Vegas Police spokesman, said.

Moments later, Smith turned onto a residential street and saw a Lincoln driving in the opposite direction with its headlights off.

Suspicious, he made a U-turn and began following the car, Bedwell said. The driver ran a stop sign at Ferrell Street and Red Coach Avenue, and Smith turned on his lights and siren.

The driver of the Lincoln didn't stop at first, police said. The vehicle made several turns and after driving a quarter-mile pulled into a driveway at Captain Kirk Court, then started to back out.

Smith drew his weapon and ordered the driver to stop, Bedwell said, then took Green and Bowser into custody.

Police found a empty shotgun next to the driveway and a box of shells on the front seat, according to the police report.

As Smith's backup was arriving they heard over the police radio that Metro was searching for a Lincoln Continental in connection with a shooting, Bedwell said, and Smith realized he had the suspects.

Police initially charged Green and Bowser with attempted murder. After their arrests, they both gave similar statements to detectives describing the incident, and both said Green was the shooter and Bowser was the driver, according to police.

McCoy died about six hours later, and the charges were changed to murder with a deadly weapon and conspiracy. Green was additionally charged with discharging a firearm into a vehicle.

Smith, 40, was a police officer in Yerington before joining the North Las Vegas force recently.

"He just got off field training this month," Bedwell said. "He did a real good job."

The department plans to press misdemeanor charges against Green for possession of a dangerous weapon in a vehicle and Bowser for evading police.

Green had no criminal record before this, Officer Jose Montoya, Metro Police spokesman, said. Bowser was issued a citation in August 2004 for possession of a firearm.

Bowser is a possible associate of the Rolling 60s Crips gang, Lt. Lewis Roberts of Metro's gang crimes section said. An associate is not a gang member, but someone who is acquainted with gang members through other friends or through their neighborhood.

He said so far they found no evidence indicating that this was done as a gang initiation or was done to impress a gang.

"We're still looking at that, but I don't think there is going to be any (gang connection)," Roberts said. "I think it was just two guys who went out to commit a horrible crime on their own."

Federal prosecutors have indicted 42 members of the Rolling 60s on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, murder and other crimes dating back more than decade. Of those, 23 of those have been convicted.

Keith Allen, McCoy's brother-in-law who is serving as the family spokesman, said he doesn't hate Green and Bowser, he feels sorry for them.

"These are two deranged individuals," he said. "I actually pity people like this. They have not experienced love, they have no family who cares about them. If they did, they never would have done this."

The focus of McCoy's life was his daughter, Allen said.

McCoy used to sing and played bass guitar in a country and western band called Hatfield and McCoy, Allen said. The band played regularly at the 101 Club in North Las Vegas.

"He gave a lot of that talent to his daughter," Allen said. She is a straight-A student at a private school, she dances, plays piano and is a whiz on the computer. She and her father were especially close.

"She's this wonderful little girl, and these people took her daddy from her," Allen said, his voice breaking.

McCoy, originally from Ohio, served in the military and was a law-abiding citizen, he said.

He carried a concealed weapon for protection at work and had a "blue card"-- a permit to carry it legally, Allen said. But police said McCoy did not pull out his gun prior to being shot. He probably never saw what was coming.

The family has lived in the Las Vegas area for decades, and even after McCoy's murder they still see it as a growing, vibrant, beautiful area, not a place to fear.

"This town has treated us very well. This doesn't change our opinion of it," Allen said. "From what we were told, this was random, senseless act of violence."

Wednesday morning, McCoy's wife said she hoped the suspects would burn in hell, Allen said. His daughter replied, "They won't burn in hell. If they believe in God, God will forgive them," Allen said.

Allen's niece wants to be an eye doctor one day, he said, and he is going to find a way to help her have a successful, happy life despite her loss.

McCoy's family is setting up a fund for the girl, Allen said. He expected to finalize the plans today.

"My niece is my concern now," he said. "I have to try to do something to make things right."