Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Police arrest three in death of Nellis airman

Authorities say more arrests expected in death of Staff Sgt. Nathan Paet

Arrests

Metro Police arrested Corry Hawkins, Jessica Austin and Michael Rodriguez in connection with the death of Nellis airman Nathan Paet.

Updated Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010 | 2:43 p.m.

Arrests in Nellis Airman's Death

Corry A. Hawkins
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A picture of Nathan Paet is displayed Tuesday afternoon at a memorial service held at Nellis chapel. Paet was shot and killed Dec. 1 outside of his home as he was preparing to go to work.

Metro Police have arrested three people who investigators say were motivated by greed in connection with the murder of a Nellis airman last week — and police expect to make more arrests.

Police arrested Michael Rudolph Rodriguez, 31, and Corry A. Hawkins, 33, on suspicion of murder with a deadly weapon, burglary with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit burglary and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

A third suspect — 23-year-old Jessica Austin — was arrested in connection with murder with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder.

Police said they believe the suspects thought they would profit from the death of Staff Sgt. Nathan Paet, who was shot last week in the garage of his home in Mountain's Edge while leaving for work.

Authorities received a 911 call at 11:31 p.m. Dec. 1 reporting a man was shot at his home in the 9200 block of Alta Monte Court, near Mountain's Edge Parkway and Durango Drive in the southwest Las Vegas Valley. Paet was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Homicide detectives said Paet opened his garage door Wednesday night and was preparing to drive to work. But after hearing several gunshots, then suffering gunshot wounds, he went back inside his home before collapsing.

Witnesses said they saw a man in a tan or brown hooded sweatshirt running east on Alta Monte Court at the time of the shooting.

According to court records, Hawkins and Rodriguez have prior criminal records.

Hawkins was sentenced for burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle in 1995, attempted grand larceny in 1996, robbery with use of a deadly weapon in 2000 and fraudulent use of a credit card or number of a credit account in 2006.

Rodriguez was sentenced for attempted forgery in 2007 and attempted theft in 2008.

Paet was an F-15 supply section technician assigned to the 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Sergeant Paet joined the Air Force in 2002 and had been stationed at Nellis Air Force Base since November 2007.

Paet, originially from Guam, is survived by his wife and four children.

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