Bail set at $1 million in fatal Thanksgiving Day shooting

By Cara McCoy

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 | 10:23 a.m.

Bail was set at $1 million this morning for a man charged in the Thanksgiving Day shooting of another man in what authorities have said was a drug-related dispute in a northwest Las Vegas pharmacy parking lot.

Lionel Collins III, 20, is facing charges in connection with the death of McClain Kenton Zornes, 19, of Las Vegas, who died from a gunshot wound to the chest in the parking lot of CVS pharmacy, 7190 West Craig Road, at the intersection of Tenaya Way.

Collins was arrested Friday and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in connection with charges of murder with a deadly weapon, burglary while possessing a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon, discharging a gun into a vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.

Justice of the Peace Eric Goodman set the $1 million bail this morning at a hearing despite a request from Collins’ attorney to set the amount at $300,000. Goodman said the alleged crime was too serious for such a low bail.

According to a Metro Police arrest report, the dispute was allegedly over the sale of marijuana.

After being shot, Zornes left the parking lot in his two-door Chevrolet Cavalier, struck a tree and flipped his car, according to the report. A passenger in Zornes’ car told police that Zornes had plans to meet a man who had asked to buy one ounce of marijuana.

The passenger exited the vehicle to smoke a cigarette while a second man, later identified as Collins, got into the passenger's seat and a fight ensued between driver and passenger. The struggled carried into the parking lot as the passenger wrestled Zornes out of his car; Zornes held onto the man’s hair as the man tried to get out of the car, then knocked the bag containing marijuana out of his hand, the police report said.

Zornes began driving south out of the parking lot. As he drove, the man police identified as Collins fired into the car, according to the arrest report. Zornes ultimately lost consciousness and the car hit a curb and a tree before coming to a stop.

Metro's Criminal Apprehension Team stopped a car near Warm Springs Road and Durango Drive, finding a man matching the description of the alleged gunman, police said.