Las Vegas police arrest suspect in December double shooting

Las Vegas police have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with a December shooting that left one man dead and another critically injured in the northwestern valley.

Elijah A. Watson’s arrest came almost a month after the Dec. 9 shooting on the 4100 block of Overbrook Drive, near Rainbow Boulevard and Alexander Road. He is facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and attempted robbery.

The Clark County coroner’s office later identified the man who was killed as 22-year-old Derian Contreras. The unidentified surviving victim was still alive last week, according to Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Laura Meltzer.

Metro homicide Lt. Dan McGrath said at the time that the shooting appeared to be targeted. The relationship between the shooter and the victims remained unclear Tuesday.

Contreras’ death marked the 237th homicide investigated within Clark County and the 207th homicide investigated by Metro last year, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal statistics.

Watson was being held at the Clark County Detention Center without bail. He is due in court for his 48-hour hearing Wednesday morning.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.