Las Vegas police report IDs second suspect in drug deal homicide
A second man has been identified as a suspect in the January shooting death of Martell Willliams during a narcotics-related robbery, court records show.
A warrant for Montrell Russum’s arrest was issued Monday, but Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Jay Rivera confirmed that Rossum was not in Las Vegas police custody as of Friday. According to a police document, the suspect booked a flight to Houston about eight hours after Williams was shot to death Jan. 31 at The Enclaves apartments, 8455 W. Sahara Ave. Southwest Airlines confirmed with police that Russum flew to Houston on Feb. 1.
His co-defendant, 18-year-old Christopher Parra, was booked Thursday into the Clark County Detention Center. He faces one count each of murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon. Court records show Russum faces the same charges.
According to Parra’s arrest report, Metro homicide detective Dolphis Boucher “believes there is probable cause that Russum murdered Williams, and that Parra was the driver.”
Shortly after 6 p.m. on Jan. 31, police said, Williams arrived at the apartment complex with a friend, who waited in the car, while the drug deal took place near a swimming pool. His friend told officers that he heard a single gunshot and found Williams on the ground.
He attempted CPR and called 911, but Williams died at the scene of a gunshot wound to his chest. He was 25.
Russum and Parra left the scene before officers arrived, but investigators were able to place the two suspects at the scene of the killing that night based on cellphone records, according to the arrest report.
The investigation detailed in the report alleges that Russum used Parra’s 9mm handgun in the robbery and shooting.
The morning after the homicide, Parra filed a police report stating that the same handgun had been stolen from his vehicle. His official statement said that his truck, parked outside his girlfriend’s home, had been broken into and ransacked.
“In that report he stated he was at his girlfriend’s house all evening,” his arrest report said. “However his cell records show that he was not.”
Parra is being held without bail at the detention center and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday morning. It is unclear whether Russum is still in Houston.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.