Published on: October 8, 2024, 04:42h.
Last updated on: October 8, 2024, 04:42h.
Authorities have identified the body found in a piece of luggage near Las Vegas airport and are investigating the cause of death.
Kristen Avelar, aged 46, was discovered on Thursday morning near Spencer Street and East Reno Avenue, less than a mile from Harry Reid International Airport.
Her death is being treated as “suspicious” by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), with the department’s homicide unit leading the investigation.
Authorities are trying to determine Avelar’s whereabouts before being placed in the luggage, after a tip alerted the police about a possible deceased person in the luggage.
An autopsy was conducted by the Clark County coroner’s office, confirming the body to be that of Avelar.
Downtown Vegas Shooting Results In Prison Term
A man has been sentenced to seven years in prison following a shooting at a motel on Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
DaJuan Lamar “Popeye” Gamble, aged 41, received the sentence on Monday from U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey in Las Vegas federal court. Following his prison term, he will be on supervised release for three years.
The shooting occurred on September 1, 2022, when Gamble fired a semi-automatic pistol outside a motel on East Fremont Street.
He fired three shots or more at an SUV, prompting the suspect in the SUV to return fire at Gamble.
Upon searching the motel, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers found two firearms in a boiler room.
One was a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol and the other a Norinco MAX-90 7.62 x 30mm semi-automatic rifle stored in a black bag. The pistol was reported stolen from a theft in Dallas, Texas.
Gamble was arrested and charged, eventually pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms in October of the previous year.
Prior Offenses
Earlier, he had been convicted of several offenses, including attempting to discharge a firearm at or into occupied structures, accessory to murder, possession of stolen property, and possession of controlled substances with intent to sell, as reported by Las Vegas TV station KLAS.
Under Nevada law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“Ensuring public safety is a top priority for the ATF,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent Jennifer Cicolani in a statement regarding Gamble’s sentencing.
We will continue collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to combat such violent behavior in the Las Vegas community, ensuring that those prohibited from possessing firearms are held accountable.