Las Vegas Strip-Adjacent Deadly Shooting Victim Identified, Suspect on the Lam

Posted on: August 30, 2022, 08:55h. 

Last updated on: August 30, 2022, 05:07h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Cops continue to search for a suspect in Sunday’s shooting death of a 64-year-old man East of the Las Vegas Strip. The violent crime took place on Sierra Vistra Drive near the Las Vegas Convention Center.

LVMPD Convention Center Area Command station
LVMPD Convention Center Area Command station. pictured above. Nearby, a man was shot this past weekend. He died a short time later, and police are searching for his killer. (Image: LVMPD)

The assailant fled after firing multiple shots at the man at about 11 pm Sunday. The seriously injured victim was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he died.

He was identified by the Clark County coroner’s office late Monday as Dwayne Vernell. The death has been ruled a homicide. Initial reports haven’t revealed why the shooting took place.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers heard from witnesses that a man ran into a nearby apartment complex after the shooting. Upon locating and speaking with him, officers concluded he wasn’t involved in the shooting.

Officers searched the area near the shooting to look for physical evidence.

Prior Fatal Violence on Strip

On Aug. 13, Anthony Reed, 52, of North Las Vegas, Nev., was charged with murder in connection with a fatal stabbing outside of the IHOP on the Las Vegas Strip. Police said Darius Stokes, 24, was stabbed in the back of the head outside the eatery. Stokes died the next day.

Reed is a convicted murderer stemming from a California case, police said. He later admitted to LVMPD officers that he punched Stokes to protect his sister. He told the police that Stokes was verbally abusing his sister, a claim disputed by one of the victim’s relatives. Reed denied involvement in any stabbing.

On Tuesday, he remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center. He has been held without bail since Aug. 14.

Triple Shooting

A man who allegedly killed his cousin and critically wounded two women at The Mirage remains behind bars in connection with an earlier incident.

Billy Deray Hemsley, 54, of Las Vegas, is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. He’s been held at the Clark County Detention Center since August 5.

Aucturius Dwyane Milner, 49, was fatally shot in a room on the eighth floor at The Mirage on August 4.

Milner and Hemsley were “play fighting” when Hemsley allegedly produced a firearm and shot Milner multiple times, LVMPD reports said. Hemsley claims his cousin was choking him at the time.

The two women, identified as Milner’s daughter and her friend, also were shot in the room at The Mirage, KLAS, a local TV station, said. Milner’s daughter was shot 15 times, police said. Both were taken to University Medical Center (UMC) for treatment.

Death Penalty Sought

Earlier this month, two men charged with several robberies and New Year’s Eve’s fatal shootings on the Strip may face the death penalty, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Clark County district attorney’s office filed paperwork this month in court to clear the way for executing the men if they are found guilty of the crimes.

Jesani Carter, 20, and Jordan Ruby, 18, both of California, remain in custody at the Clark County Detention Center. No bail was set. They have been held since Jan. 1.

In February, Carter and Ruby were indicted on 13 counts, including two counts each of murder with a deadly weapon of a victim 60 or older. They are also charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, attempted robbery, and conspiracy, KLAS said.