Landlord who died from beating identified

By Mary Manning (contact), Tim Richardson (contact)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 | 2:13 p.m.

Landlord assault

Jonathan Vanhook

A Las Vegas landlord who died from his injuries after a beating in a southeast Las Vegas residence has been identified.

The Clark County Coroner's Office said that 62-year-old Morteza Mostafavi of Las Vegas died of several blunt force trauma injuries and ruled the death a homicide.

Metro Police went to 4790 East Boston Ave., near Sahara Avenue and Nellis Boulevard, about 4:22 p.m. Sunday where they found a man covered in blood inside a residence. The officers, who were investigating a report of a fight, found Mostafavi severely beaten by a pipe or other heavy object, said Lt. Ted Snodgrass.

The victim was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with critical injuries and later died as a result of his injuries, police said.

Homicide detectives identified the suspect as 35-year-old Jonathan Vanhook. Vanhook was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count of murder, according to detention center records.

Detectives said that the victim and Vanhook were involved in an ongoing dispute over money, which apparently led to the fight on Sunday.

Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call the Metro Police Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521, or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.