Las Vegas police arrest 55-year-old man on murder charge in Sunday killing
The man Las Vegas police arrested in connection with a Sunday evening homicide in the east valley called and told police, “I killed my wife.”
Detectives had identified Arthur Lopez, 55, as a suspect in the incident. Lopez was arrested Tuesday without incident by the Criminal Apprehension Team, police said in a statement. He was taken to the Clark County Detention Center, where he faces a charge of open murder with a deadly weapon.
According to an arrest report, the deceased is identified as Erlinda Penaflor, 78. She lived with a roommate, who had rented a room in the home and after moving in realized that Lopez was verbally abusive to Penaflor.
Lopez is believed to have a gambling problem and would steal property and use drugs, the arrest report said. In February Lopez moved to Arizona for a job but would often return to Las Vegas.
Sometime in June or July, Penaflor filed for divorce from her husband, the arrest report said.
On Friday, Lopez arrived at the home unannounced and spent the night, according to the arrest report. Penaflor asked a friend to stay with her and her roommate because she was afraid of her husband. Then, on Saturday afternoon, Lopez left the home without saying anything.
The arrest report said that Sunday about 11:30 a.m., the roommate suggested going to church with Penaflor, but Penaflor said she didn’t trust Lopez and would stay home to make sure he didn’t steal anything.
The roommate returned home about 5:30 p.m, and found Penaflor in the front living room in a pool of blood, the arrest report said.
At around 1 p.m. Monday, police received a call from Lopez. After the dispatcher answered, Lopez said, “I killed my wife.” Then he gave the dispatcher an address and hung up the phone, the arrest report said.
Penaflor’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and manner was homicide, according to the arrest report.
Anyone with any information about the homicide may contact Metro’s homicide section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
Contact Raven Jackson at rjackson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @ravenmjackson on Twitter.
