Las Vegas woman charged in boyfriend’s stabbing death

A woman who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death Tuesday when he tried to stop her from killing herself has been arrested on a murder charge.

County booking logs and jail records show Melissa Sue Barnes was arrested Tuesday and is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.

The fatal stabbing was reported about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday at a home on the 3600 block of Diamond Head Drive, near Bonanza and Pecos roads, according to Metropolitan Police Department Lt. David Gordon.

Gordon said the 30-year-old suspect took prescription pills and was trying to hurt herself with a knife when her 43-year-old boyfriend was stabbed in the chest and back as he tried to intervene. The couple had no prior history of domestic violence, Metro homicide Lt. Dan McGrath said.

The Clark County Coroner’s office will identify the man after his family has been notified.

Barnes is expected in court at 8 a.m. on Nov. 28.

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