‘We don’t know who committed this crime,’ police say about double-homicide

By Conor Shine

Published Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | 11:28 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | 4:14 p.m.

No suspects have been identified in the brutal slaying of a mother and her 10-year-old daughter, who were found beaten to death inside their Las Vegas home Monday, Metro Police said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

“We don’t know who committed this crime,” Metro Police Lt. Clint Nichols said.

Police discovered the bodies about 8:40 a.m. Monday in a single-family home near Washington Avenue and Tonopah Drive. Police were alerted to the scene after a 9-year-old boy who lived in the house arrived at school Monday and told staff his mother and sister were dead at home.

Upon arriving, police also found an unharmed 4-year-old boy and a severely injured man. That man, identified as the children’s father, is still in critical condition at the hospital but he has not been able to assist in the investigation due to the extent of his injuries, Nichols said.

The father is under protective custody at the hospital, Nichols said.

The Clark County coroner said Wednesday that both the mother and daughter died from blunt-force trauma injuries, and Nichols said the father’s injuries also were from blunt-force trauma. Nichols declined to say what type of weapon caused those injuries.

Nichols said the entire inside of the home was considered a crime scene and it would take forensic investigators several days to gather evidence.

No arrests have been made and no persons of interest have been identified, he said.

Nichols also said police “don’t know” whether the attack was committed at random or if the attacker knew the victims.

“At this time, our investigation is far from over unless we get a break in the case,” Nichols said.

The 9-year-old boy and his 4-year-old brother have been placed under the care of Child Protective Services, Nichols said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact Metro’s homicide section at 702-828-3521 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or online at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.