Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Man accused of beating homeless man to death was furious about stolen phone

Days before the fatal beating of a transient man, the suspect — described as being enraged — arrived at a homeless camp and accused the victim of knowing who'd stolen his cellphone, according to a Metro Police arrest report.

Walking around his extended-and-lifted-cab pickup truck, Daniel Clubb, 38, pounded his chest and said, “I am wood,” before taking the driver’s seat, driving erratically and crashing into a pole, a witness told police, according to the report.

On Friday afternoon, Clubb and 50-year-old Vincent Victor Varos met again, this time at the nearby parking lot of Rapid Cash, 6115 Flamingo Road, near Jones Boulevard, police said.

Exactly what transpired next wasn’t clear from the report, but a witness said Varos had apparently been hit, not providing further details, police said.

Another person said the suspect appeared to grab the victim but didn’t know if he was hoisting him up or pushing him down, police said.

The encounter concluded with Varos lying gravely injured near his bicycle and Clubb driving away, police said. Varos was declared brain-dead at University Medical Center two days later.

As of Monday, he was being kept artificially alive while his organs were being harvested.

Police were dispatched to the scene about 1:15 p.m. Friday.

The manager of a cellphone store in the shopping strip later told detectives that Clubb arrived at his store less than two hours before the beating to buy a new phone, according to the report.

The manager told police that Clubb was overheard telling an employee that his phone had been stolen when he slept in a park behind the store, the report said. The manager described Clubb as speaking erratically.

Clubb left but was back in the shopping center shortly after 1 p.m., police said. He and Varos exchanged words, according to another witness.

Multiple people placed Clubb and his truck at the scene at the time of the confrontation, police said.

In an interview with a witness from the homeless camp, detectives learned that Clubb had showed up at the encampment about a week before the beating, police said. The witness said Clubb "was acting crazy and was accusing them all of knowing who took his stuff."

That's when Clubb turned his attention to Varos and said that he'd earlier been told Varos knew who took his stuff, an allegation Varos denied, police said.

On Friday, Varos woke up and said he was going to purchase some cigarettes and would be "right back," police said. He got on his bike and did not return.

Descriptions of Clubb, including an "I am wood" tattoo on his chest, and his truck helped detectives identify him as a suspect, police said.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on Monday, and he was arrested the next day. He's being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center on one count of murder.

Police said they want to speak with two possible witnesses seen with Varos before officers arrived to the scene on Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro at 702-828-3521 or via email at [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com