Defendants in Lee’s Liquor killing back in court
The murder case against three men accused of storming into a southwest valley Lee’s Discount Liquor armed with handguns and killing a clerk is expected to be presented to a grand jury, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Authorities have identified Ray Charles “Ray Ray” Brown as the man suspected of firing the shots that left 24-year-old cashier Matthew Christensen dead.
The 22-year-old defendant, who police said is a documented member of the 004 Hoodsman gang, faces several charges, including murder with use of a deadly weapon, along with brothers Lee “Murry” Sykes, 22, and Lee “Dominic” Sykes, 20.
The killing on April 20 was captured by a surveillance camera, according to authorities.
In a span of about three minutes, the men robbed the store and ordered Christensen to open a safe, which he could not access, police have said.
Authorities said Dominic Sykes, armed with a black semi-automatic handgun, was the first to enter the store at 8785 W. Warm Springs Road.
Police said Brown, also wielding a handgun, briefly stopped a female customer from leaving the store while he pointed the firearm at three clerks inside, and Murry Sykes followed his co-defendants inside.
After the customer escaped, authorities said, Brown forced Christensen to an office in the back of the shop, as Dominic Sykes grabbed cash from a register and liquor from the shelves and Murry Sykes dumped the liquor into a plastic bag.
Brown grabbed Christensen’s wallet and cellphone and fired a shot toward the victim, authorities said.
They said Dominic Sykes ran to the back office and pointed his gun at Christensen before walking away, but Brown then shot Christensen several times.
Surveillance video and tipsters led authorities to the trio, police said.
All three men are being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center, and each is facing one charge of first-degree murder, burglary while possessing a gun, conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery with a deadly weapon, as well as multiple charges of first-degree kidnapping with a deadly weapon.
Brown also is facing a child abuse charge, because he shielded himself with a child as an armed SWAT team confronted him, authorities said.
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