Metro makes arrest in December slaying of salesman

By Rich Coleman, Paul Takahashi

Published Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 | 2:15 p.m.

Updated Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 | 5:45 p.m.

Metro Police arrested a 35-year-old man Thursday in connection with the death of a salesman found in his car in late December.

Juan Manuel Lopez was charged in the murder of Edin Arellanos-Oliva, a jewelry and household goods salesman who was reported missing by his family on Dec. 30, 2010.

According to an arrest report, Arrellanos-Oliva was found dead in his dark blue 2006 Nissan Altima that same day near Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road. Family members told police he was leaving to meet with a customer about 10 a.m. on Dec. 29.

Police searched Arrellanos-Olivia’s cell phone records and found he had regular contact with Lopez on the days leading up to Dec. 28. Four text messages from Arrellanos-Olivia to Lopez were sent at 8:59 a.m. and 9 a.m, the arrest report indicated.

Cell phone tower information indicated Lopez’s phone was in the area of Flamingo and Maryland Parkway on Dec. 29 between 10 a.m. and noon, according to the arrest report. Officers interviewed Lopez, who first denied knowing Arellanos-Oliva and then told police he knew him as “Erik.”

The arrest report said Lopez denied being involved with his death and that he agreed to take a lie detector test. Based on the results of the test, detectives connected Lopez to the murder.

Police then searched Lopez’s apartment in the 4700 block of East Owens Avenue and found numerous credit cards and identifications in other people’s names as well as a pistol. Police said in the arrest report that Lopez holds no steady job and regularly uses fictitious names and addresses.

Lopez was also charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and nine counts of possessing a credit card without the owner’s consent. He is being held at the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

His next court date is scheduled for Monday morning.