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Showing posts from September, 2022

Prison escapee climbed out of cell window, over barbed-wire fence, sources say

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The convicted murderer who escaped Friday from a prison outside of Las Vegas climbed out of his cell window and over a barbed-wire fence, sources told the 8 News Now Investigators. Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, 42, was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for the murder of Willebaldo Dorantes Antonio, records showed. The prison is about 40 miles northwest of Las Vegas in the rural community of Indian Springs. Former Las Vegas prosecutor who helped put convicted murderer behind bars talks bombing case; officials not immediately notified about escape Duarte-Herrera used acid to help erode the area securing his cell window so he could climb out, sources said. He also created a cardboard dummy to leave in his cell, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported Tuesday. Duarte-Herrera also sewed a coat in a prison class, which he took with him after his escape, sources said. Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, 42, is

Head-on DUI crash on U.S. 95 killed UNLV freshman, State Police say

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The crash on U.S. 95 that killed a UNLV freshman from Henderson was head-on and caused by a drunken driver, State Police said Friday. Taylor Madison is facing a charge of DUI resulting in death in the Monday crash that killed Katarina Johnson, 18, on the highway near mile marker 53, south of Boulder City, the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Division said in a news release. At about 12:30 a.m., Madison was driving south on U.S. 95 in a black Hyundai Genesis, the release said. "For reasons unknown, the Hyundai failed to drive within its marked travel lane, into the northbound travel lanes ..." The Genesis struck the front of a red Nissan Versa that was traveling north, passing mile marker 53, the release said. The driver of the Nissan, Johnson, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Madison was taken to a hospital but did not specify her injuries. She later was jailed at the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of driving under the influe

'Afraid to call:' Man who turned in escaped inmate was hesitant, he says in 911 call released by Metro

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Gabriel Delgadillo, the Las Vegas Shuttles manager who called 911 to report that escaped inmate Porfirio Duarte-Herrera was ready to board a bus to Mexico, was hesitant to make that phone call. "He's been so natural, though ... I was very afraid to just call," Delgadillo told the 911 dispatcher in an audio exchange released Friday by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. Delgadillo intimated in the call, 8:36 minutes long, that if the passenger wasn't the escaped inmate he could be causing him unnecessary trouble. "No, no, you did fine," the dispatcher tells Delgadillo. " ... Even if you don't, you can't confirm it. The officers can take care of that. But it's better to be safe than sorry, you know." Delgadillo's phone call led to the apprehension of Duarte-Herrera at about 9:30 p.m., a little more than five minutes after the emergency call was made. Metro officers nabbed the escaped inmate from the Southern Desert

Suspected Las Vegas child murderer facing new allegations of choking 6-year-old with vacuum cord

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- A Clark County grand jury added two more child abuse charges against a man accused of killing his girlfriend's 4-year-old son and storing his body in a freezer. Las Vegas Metro police arrested Brandon Toseland, 36, for the murder of Mason Dominguez in February. Dominguez’s body was discovered inside Toseland’s northeast valley garage concealed in a trash bag in a freezer. Family identifies Las Vegas boy, 4, found in freezer; man accused of killing him appears in court Police arrested Toseland on Feb. 22 after Mason’s mother was able to sneak messages into her 7-year-old daughter’s shoe. A grand jury indicted Toseland in April on 10 charges, including murder, child abuse, kidnapping, and domestic violence. with him for several days. He then told his girlfriend that Mason was deceased, documents said. (LVMPD/KLAS) On Friday, the grand jury added two charges of child abuse involving his girlfriend's other child, records showed. The two charges allege T

Retired Police officer remembers 1 October through poetry

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LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — Harry Fagel was a police officer for 25 years,  but he has always been a poet. His career path often inspires his writing. On Oct. 1, 2017, the then-Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department captain rushed to Las Vegas from his home in Laughlin after hearing reports of a shooting. That night he would serve as the intelligence coordinator on Metro’s incident command team. “When I was in the middle of all that, I didn’t really have time to think about it," Fagel explained. "But as time moved forward, I felt every single bit of angst inside of me was screaming to be let out.” It inspired him to write the poem, “The Route,” which he performs yearly at 1 October memorial events.  This year, Fagel reflected on the five years that have passed in a series of poems titled, “Route Revisit.” “Five years has gone by and I hope that they’re healing. I know I’ve healed from it a little bit, but I know a lot of people are suffering terribly,” Fagel said. “I th

'I knew right away we were in trouble,' 1 October survivor recalls tragedy 5 years later

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Over the past few years 8 News Now has been chronicling the journey of Rosemarie Melanson a 1 October survivor. 8 News Now's Denise Valdez spoke with Rosemarie and her daughters Stephanie and Paige about the night of the tragedy. The mother of four children was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival with her daughters when she was hit by a single armor-piercing bullet. Rosemarie Melanson recovering in the hospital after 1 October tragedy. (KLAS) Rosemarie Melanson and family (KLAS) Rosemarie Melanson and family (KLAS) "I looked up at the sky and I knew right away we were in trouble," Rosmarie told 8 News Now. "I was grabbing my mom's head and screaming, Mom, mom, mom, and the last thing, she said to me...," Stephanie is then overcome with emotion. That last thing Rosemarie said to Stephanie was that she couldn't breathe. Her youngest daughter was also injured in the shooting. But in the chaos, Rosemarie descri

Wide receiver Hollins giving Raiders lift on, off field

HENDERSON — During training camp, Raiders wide receiver Mack Hollins called himself the "weird guy" in the locker room. For his teammates, he's much more than the guy who is into snakes, cleaning the environment, conditioning by running more than the length of 16 football fields, and who enjoys running to the team facility rather than driving to it. "There's not many people that use their legs to get anywhere anymore. Mack's one of them," Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. "He's a free spirit, but he's got an urgency about him and an attention to detail about him that you would ask every player to possess in the building. What a breath of fresh air relative to the things he's interested in." And that includes uplifting a winless team. With the Raiders (0-3) heading into their Week 4 matchup against division rival Denver, Hollins' eccentric personality provides a much-needed positive vibe. "He's got one of the mos

Las Vegas teenager accused in 3 murders near his home

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Las Vegas Metro police have identified a teenager already accused in two unrelated homicide cases as the suspect in a murder from January. On Thursday, police identified 19-year-old Alonzo Brown as the suspected shooter in an apartment murder in the 1900 block of East Tropicana Avenue from Jan. 18. I-Team: Las Vegas 18-year-old tied to 2 murders near his home According to police, officers responded to the apartment complex and found an adult man sitting in a car suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced deceased at the scene of the shooting. Police now suspect the unidentified victim was shot by Brown while the victim sitting in his car. Brown was already in custody at the Clark County Detention Center on charges for two unrelated murders from this past spring. The 8 News Now Investigators previously reported on the crimes in June. Brown lived extremely close to both homicide scenes, police wrote in court documents. Police described it

2 accused of shooting 4 across Las Vegas in violent crime spree with ghost gun

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Two young men are accused of shooting four people in a series of crimes involving at least five different scenes and a ghost gun, Las Vegas Metro police wrote in documents the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed Thursday. Lawrence Ishii, 20, and Luis Ruiz, 19, each face charges of attempted murder, and battery with the use of a deadly weapon, among other charges, records showed. On Sept. 5, someone fired 12 gunshots at a home, police said. The address is redacted in documents from police. The person who lived at the home had previously told police his “same bedroom window and wall were shot in the same manner” in July, police said. Video in the area showed two “younger Hispanic [men] enter a dark-colored sedan” and drive off, police said. Later in the evening on Sept. 5, a person was shot at a convenience store near Washington Avenue and Decatur Boulevard. The shooter also fired 6-8 gunshots at other people who were running away, police said. On Sept. 7, police s

Knights captain Stone could play Friday for first time since May back surgery

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- There's a chance captain Mark Stone could play for the first time in the exhibition season Friday night when the Golden Knights meet the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena. Coach Bruce Cassidy, who ran the Knights through some scrimmaging Thursday at practice, said it depends how Stone, coming off back surgery, feels. "There's a good chance he could play tomorrow," Cassidy said after Thursday's session at City National Arena. "Let's see how he feels ... If he comes out of it [Thursday's practice session] fine, it could be as early as tomorrow." Stone, who had a lumbar discectomy to repair a spinal disc in May, said Thursday he feels pretty comfortable and ready to play when asked about his status. "I don't think there's a ton of boxes to check, other than playing games," he said. Faceoff Thursday is 7 p.m. The Knights dropped their first two exhibitions before beating Colorado 7-1 on Tuesday night at T-

Former Las Vegas prosecutor who helped put convicted murderer behind bars talks bombing case; officials not immediately notified about escape

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The prosecutor who helped put convicted murderer Porfirio Duarte-Herrera behind bars for life said he did not learn of the prisoner’s Friday escape until he received a breaking news alert from the 8 News Now Investigators. “When were you notified that he escaped?” 8 News Now Investigator David Charns asked Dave Stanton, the former chief deputy Clark County District Attorney, on Wednesday. “By you,” Stanton said. Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, 42, is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for murder at the Southern Desert Correctional Center, records showed. (NDOC/KLAS) Duarte-Herrera, 42, was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for the murder of Willebaldo Dorantes Antonio, who was 24, records showed. The prison is about 40 miles northwest of Las Vegas in the rural community of Indian Springs. The 8 News Now Investigators first reported the escape around 11 a.m. Tuesday. It was no

Police to reopen streets after investigation into suspicious item in downtown Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Police are expected to reopen streets in the downtown Las Vegas area following an investigation of reports of a suspicious item Wednesday afternoon. The investigation initially took place just before 4 p.m. near south Casino Center Boulevard and east Clark Avenue, according to police. Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the investigation shut down traffic for pedestrians and vehicles. Police told 8 News Now just after 4 p.m. that 'streets would reopen shortly.' No other details were released regarding the investigation. T his is a developing story, check back for updates. from KLAS https://ift.tt/qmf5gJL

Southern Nevada Red Cross volunteers head to Florida to brace for Hurricane Ian

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Volunteers from across Nevada were heading to Florida Tuesday, ready to assist as the state braces for Hurricane Ian. The Nevada volunteers are joined by more than 500 red cross disaster relief workers from across the country. They want to make sure everyone impacted by the storm has a safe place to stay, food to eat, relief supplies, and emotional support. Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southern Nevada chapter Rachel Flanigan said Nevada volunteers moved supplies into place late last week to be able to initially accommodate 60,000 people. "A lot of our folks have deployed to the Orlando area, to be away from the storm, and then they are going to work their way toward those zones," Flanigan said. "It looks like we are on standby but will more than likely will be deploying our emergency response vehicle, which is our big feeding truck will most likely be leaving southern Nevada toward the end of the week, in fact, all the feeding truck

Las Vegas Metro Police respond to 4 fentanyl deaths in 36 hours

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)-- As of Monday, Metro police said they responded to six deadly overdoses in the past 36 hours. At least four, they said, were connected to fentanyl. A new video released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department showcases exactly what officers have encountered when confronted with an individual who is overdosing on the synthetic opioid, fentanyl. Metro officers recall specific moments when they were faced with unresponsive individuals, and the actions taken to avoid losing someone to a potential overdose death. "I know the dangers of fentanyl, but to actually be exposed to it firsthand, was just beyond," one officer in the video recalled. Bodycam footage shows Metro officers response to fentanyl-related overdose (Photo: LVMPD) Bodycam footage shows Metro officers response to fentanyl-related overdose (Photo: LVMPD) Bodycam footage shows Metro officers response to fentanyl-related overdose (Photo: LVMPD) Bodycam footage shows Metr

Author shares tips for working women on burnout and finding satisfaction

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Can women really tackle it all and feel fulfilled? Who says we have to handle it all? 8 News Now spoke with mother of two and Ted X speaker Vanessa Loder, who has supported thousands of women feeling burnt out. Loder worked in corporate America, on Wall Street, and in Silicon Valley, and she can speak about the signs of burnout and how to address the root problem. "I got to the top of the ladder but I did not have all the joy, satisfaction, and inner peace that I thought I would have, in fact, I had a bit of a breakdown on my own," Loder said. She started studying mindfulness, the neuroscience behind behavior change, and ways to rewire our response to stress. She said she started questioning many of the "should's" running her life. "This question, can women do it all, I think the implication under that is that women should do it all for everyone else, all the time," Loder said. Doing it all in the way that Loder points out is

Pizza boxes feature flyers shelter dogs

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- A local Italian restaurant has a unique way to get photos of adoptable shelter dogs in front of customers. Stallone's Italian Eatery has teamed up with Pawtastic Friends in an effort to get more dogs into forever homes. On every box of pizza, there is a flyer with a shelter dog's photo and information. "It's great cause they get to see a flyer with all these dogs on it. We just want to bring awareness to the community and help Pawtastic Friends get these dogs adopted," said Brett Raymer, Stallone's owner. from KLAS https://ift.tt/zqS9yaF

'I saw tremendous rage,' Clark County employee says of boss accused of Las Vegas journalist's murder

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- A Clark County employee who helped expose problems under the leadership of Robert Telles said that she hopes the accused murderer -- who is also her boss -- remains in custody. Telles, who is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German, is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning. "It'd be frightening," Rita Reid, the assistant Clark County Public Administrator, said if Telles were to be released from jail on bond. German, 69, was found stabbed to death outside his northwest valley home on Sept. 3. He had written several stories about Telles, including one exposing a possible inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.  Jeff German, investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Reid said she made the decision to run against Telles in the Democratic primary to make sure that he could not keep his seat. "Our g

Politics Now: Sept. 24, 2022

This week on Politics Now with host John Langeler: Assistant Clark County Public Administrator Rita Reid talks to the 8 News Now Investigators about her decision to run against Rob Telles for the position, and why they decided they had to go to the media about the problems in the office. A breakdown of where Hispanic voters in Nevada are at right now, and the issues they care about most going forward. Breaking down who is spending tens of millions of dollars in Nevada's closely watched Senate race. Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen (D) talks to us about abortion, water cuts on the horizon, and a bill to reveal who is giving money to super-pacs. How Trump's Las Vegas hotel is involved in a lawsuit against him from New York's Attorney General. from KLAS https://ift.tt/VSBol7W

Post-pandemic stress leaves many lacking proper sleep

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)-- Covid-19 has changed the lives of many around the world, but the stress that came with it is still lingering for some individuals more than two years later. "I'm averaging three hours of sleep every night for the last two months," said Kortney Olson, a local who's been dealing with lingering pandemic stressors. "I'm in the apparel business, so supply chain issues and really logistics everything was so slimmed down it caused an immense amount of stress and it carried over." Pre-pandemic, she said she was averaging six hours of sleep per night, but now, no matter what she tries, it's hard for her to get a good night's rest. A study by the Sleep Foundation revealed that around 40 percent of people had issues sleeping during the pandemic. And Dinisha Mingo, CEO of Mingo Health Solutions, said, among other issues, she has seen an increase of patients coming in regarding sleep. Mingo said with schedules being thrown off for two

Meet your 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show performer: Rihanna

(NEXSTAR) - The Super Bowl may be months away, but we know who will be taking center stage during halftime. International icon and new mom Rihanna has been tapped for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show for Super Bowl LVII, which will be held on Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The NFL made the announcement Sunday afternoon, just days after rumors swirled that Taylor Swift may headline the halftime show. Fans pointed at the NFL's midnight announcement of Apple Music being the show's sponsor, replacing Pepsi, and apparently similar font between the announcement and Swift's forthcoming album. Rihanna even prompted speculation about her Super Bowl involvement Sunday, posting a photo to her Instagram of her holding an NFL football. "We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage," said Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music. "Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throug

Fatal shooting: NLV police, man with rifle exchange gunfire in neighborhood

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)-- A man armed with a rifle was fatally shot late Saturday in a gunfire exchange with North Las Vegas Police in a residential neighborhood. Officers responded to the 4300 block of Westmere Avenue, west of Aviary Way and south of Grand Teton Drive, shortly after 10 p.m. after a resident said he saw a man with a long pole in the backyard of a house on his street, according to Sgt. Jeff Wall of the North Las Vegas Police Department. The resident said the man seemed to be high on alcohol or drugs. When confronted by the resident, the man asked the resident if he wanted to die, Wall said. Wall said police found the man armed with a rifle and that after shots were exchanged he was wounded and taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, Wall said. No one else was injured, Wall said. The identity of the victim is pending notification of family, Wall said, and the identity of the officers involved will be released after 48 hours, per department policy.

Tough task: Raiders facing durable Henry in clash against Titans

LAS VEGAS — Raiders linebacker Jayon Brown is looking forward to returning to Nashville, where he spent the first five years of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Playing against his former teammate, Derrick Henry? That's another story. "Derrick's a big guy, downhill runner, very physical, one of the best backs in the league, if not the best back in the league," Brown said. "We've got to come downhill and tackle him." Henry, the NFL's second-leading rusher since he entered the league in 2016 with 6,904 yards, isn't the only problem for the Raiders (0-2), but he might be the biggest. The Titans (0-2) have struggled. Henry, too. He is looking for his first 100-yard game after reaching the mark in 20 of 30 games before this season. "I think we all know what we need to do," Henry said. "We know it hasn't been our standard, the success we had in the past, and we've got to be better. I think we all know that. We need to

Rebels top defending MW champ Utah State on road

LOGAN, Utah — Doug Brumfield passed for one touchdown and ran for two more as UNLV won its Mountain West opener Saturday, snapping a six-game losing streak to Utah State 34-24. Brumfield's defensive teammates also got into the act in the Rebels' first triumph over the Aggies since 2008, intercepting quarterback Logan Bonner four times and generating five turnovers overall. "These guys are excited," UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo said. "To win on the road in conference play against the defending Mountain West champions after a bye week is a big deal." Utah State (1-3) was idle last week and was expected to be a major test for the Rebels (3-1). But turnovers by the Aggies -- also playing its conference opener -- and UNLV's impressive offense were too much to overcome. "We were sloppy on some things, we did some things we haven't done all season. But that's going to happen when we play on the road versus a quality opponent," Arroyo said. &

Las Vegas valley sees uptick in vehicle crashes

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)-- A string of crashes over the weekend, throughout the valley has many locals concerned about their safety on las vegas roadways. On Friday, Sept. 23, a morning crash left one person on life support, metro police said. That particular crash involved a motorcycle and a car. Then, several hours later, another crash occurred, that one being deadly. That same day, another deadly crash happened in the valley, making for a hazardous day on valley roads. "Everybody here is from different places and nobody knows how everyone drives," said Las Vegas local Sarah Smith. "And then you have the intoxicated drivers." According to the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, the main contributing factors for the loss of lives on public roadways are impairment and speeding. from KLAS https://ift.tt/gCKXQfW

Gov. Sisolak proclaims Sept. 24 in honor of Las Vegas journalist, Jeff German

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)-- Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has made a proclamation to make Sept. 24 in honor of Las Vegas journalist, Jeff German. German, 69, was stabbed to death on the morning of Sept. 3 at his home in the northwest Las Vegas valley. Robert Telles, 45, Clark County's elected public administrator, is facing a murder charge in the case. Telles has been the focus of several investigative stories written by German. The stories focused on the hostile work environment inside Telles' office reporting the office was in "turmoil" in the months leading up to the stabbing. German's career as an investigative reporter in Las Vegas spanned more than three decades where he worked for both of Las Vegas' daily newspapers. German joined the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2010 after more than two decades at the Las Vegas Sun, where he worked as a columnist and reporter who covered courts, politics, labor, government, and organized crime. Newspaper reporter fatally s