Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Son, 19, held in stabbing death of handcuffed father

Updated Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015 | 5:20 p.m.

Click to enlarge photo

Mason Fritz

Authorities in Las Vegas say a 19-year-old estranged son returned home and handcuffed and fatally stabbed his 51-year-old father during an argument while his mother and another child hid in a bedroom.

The Clark County coroner on Tuesday identified the dead dad as 51-year-old David Dewayne Fritz.

According to a Metro Police arrest report, Dawn Fritz called police about 6 a.m. Monday to report an argument between her husband, David, and son, Mason. She was hiding upstairs with her 13-year-old daughter.

Police arrived at the 5300 block of Latigo Street, near Eastern and Hacienda avenues, to find the father on the floor with apparent stab wounds. He was handcuffed and covered with a blanket. He was transported to Sunrise Hospital, where he later died, police said.

According to the report, the argument started between Dawn Fritz and her son in the driveway. The father was working on a vehicle at the time and intervened, and the dispute quickly escalated when he pulled out a steak knife.

After the attack, police said the son, Mason, fled with a family vehicle.

He was found and arrested several hours later, walking on a stretch of East Flamingo Road near Stephanie Street. He had injuries to his right hand and leg.

The vehicle was found abandoned in the remote Clark County Wetlands Park.

According to the report, Mason Fritz told detectives that he used the steak knife to let the air out of his father’s tire to prevent him from going to work so they could talk. He also admitted that he argued with his father and “did something bad.” He eventually admitted that he killed his father, police said.

Records show that Mason Fritz was being held at the Clark County Detention Center pending an initial court appearance on murder, kidnapping, robbery and auto theft charges.

Sun reporter Kailyn Brown contributed to this story.

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