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Suspect arrested in 2015 double homicide in Las Vegas

Las Vegas police on Wednesday arrested a suspect in a deadly shooting from last September.

James Rachal, 32, was arrested in California on unrelated charges when he was arrested for outstanding warrants in the 2015 homicide case. On Wednesday, Rachal was booked into the Clark County Detention Center where he faces one count of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of murder with a deadly weapon.

Around noon on Sept. 11, 2105, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the incident outside of Bargain Smokes shop in the 5500 block of Boulder Highway near East Tropicana Avenue. Upon arrival, police discovered 25-year-old Aaron Anderson and 32-year-old Alton Bullard Jr. both suffering from gunshot wounds. Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene and Bullard was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center where he later died, Metro said in a release.

The investigation led by Metro’s homicide section indicated that Anderson and Bullard, along with a third male who hasn’t been identified, were in front of the smoke shop when a man who police say was Rachal entered the business and exited a short time later. As the man exited the business, he exchanged several words with Anderson and Bullard then fired several rounds at them, striking both. He then fled the scene before officers’ arrival.

The motive for the shooting is unknown, police said in the release.

Contact Jessica Terrones at jterrones@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @JessATerrones on Twitter.

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