Police: Man, 19, fatally shot father after argument with girlfriend

By Nikki Villoria

Published Monday, May 2, 2011 | 9:38 a.m.

Updated Monday, May 2, 2011 | 6:28 p.m.

A 19-year-old Las Vegas man arrested Sunday after police said he shot and killed his father during a family argument at their northeast valley home had been fighting with his pregnant girlfriend shortly before the shooting took place, according to an arrest report released Monday.

Juan Tarelo, 41, was trying to break up the argument between his son, Juan Tarelo Jr., and Tarelo Jr.'s girlfriend when he allegedly grabbed his son's neck and pushed him against a dresser, the report said. It was at that point that Tarelo Jr. removed a .45-caliber handgun from the top drawer of the dresser, escalating the dispute, police said.

During an interview with police, Tarelo Jr. said he was afraid his father would beat him; however, he told detectives he didn't fear for his life or safety at any point during the argument.

According to the report, the initial dispute erupted when Tarelo Jr. and his girlfriend began an argument over food. Tarelo Jr. then closed himself in his bedroom and began screaming and throwing things around the room, police said.

Additional family members then entered the room, including Tarelo, who grabbed his son by the throat and held him against a dresser, according to the report.

Tarelo Jr.'s girlfriend interrupted to break up the confrontation. When Tarelo turned to move her out of the way, he released thye grip on his son, who then opened the dresser drawer, removed the gun and shot his father, who was standing next to his girlfriend, according to the statement Tarelo Jr. gave to investigators.

Tarelo Jr. called 911 about 3:30 p.m. According to the report, when officers arrived at the home a short time later, he was yelling, "Help my dad" and applying pressure to the chest wound.

Tarelo was taken to University Medical Center's trauma unit, where he was pronounced dead. Tarelo Jr. was arrested at the scene and taken to police headquarters for questioning. According to the report, he told investigators he unnecessarily escalated the situation by grabbing the gun.

Tarelo Jr. was booked into the Clark County Detention Center in connection with one count of murder and one count of being in possession of an unregistered firearm with an obliterated serial number. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in front of a judge Tuesday morning.

Sun reporter Jackie Valley contributed to this report.