School bus driver among 2 identified in weekend homicides

By Mary Manning, Cara McCoy

Published Monday, Aug. 17, 2009 | 10:57 a.m.

Updated Monday, Aug. 17, 2009 | 12:49 p.m.

Two men who died in homicides on opposite sides of Las Vegas have been identified.

A 39-year-old man who died following an early morning dispute about 1:30 a.m. Sunday has been identified as Brent Baldes of Las Vegas, the Clark County Coroner's Office said.

Metro Police found the man not breathing in the 8700 block of Harvest Valley Avenue near Durango Drive and Cheyenne Avenue, Sgt. Rocky Alby said.

The man was taken to MountainView Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries, police said. A cause and manner of death has not been determined, the coroner's office said.

Baldes was a Clark County School District bus driver who would have returned to work today after summer vacation, a spokesman for the school district said.

Baldes had become a school bus driver on Jan. 12, the spokesman said.

Both the victim and a possible suspect had been drinking at a back yard barbeque before getting into a fight, police said. Once the police investigation is completed, the case will be submitted to the Clark County District Attorney's Office.

The second man identified by the coroner's office was 21-year-old Diego Armando Solario.

Police responded to a report of a fight involving several people at the Village Square Commercial Center, 953 E. Sahara Ave., about 3:33 a.m. Sunday.

Officers found Solario lying in the parking lot with stab wounds to his torso. He was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he later died, police said.

Security officers chased and held a suspect in the stabbing. He is identified as 24-year-old Edgar Magana, who was taken to the Clark County Detention Center and booked for murder with a deadly weapon.

An arrest report indicates that a security guard, who detained Magana by handcuffing him until police arrived, alerted authorities that he had seen Magana walk to a nearby parked vehicle and hide something. After a search, police found a knife that looked bloody inside a paper bag.

The owner of the restaurant, Las Palmas, told police he had witnessed a large group of Hispanic men fighting outside his restaurant. As security officers broke up the fight, someone in the crowed yelled that Magana had stabbed Solorio, police records show.

Police said in the arrest report that video surveillance footage obtained from the restaurant shows Solorio punch Magana outside the front doors, and a large fight ensued. Solorio and Magana are seen near each other when Magana turns and walks away. As Magana walks away, Solorio bends over and grabs his stomach, authorities said.

Anyone with information about these incidents can call Metro's Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521, or to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.