Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005 | 11:14 a.m.
As officials continue to investigate a fatal shooting involving a former Army specialist who reportedly served in Iraq, friends and loved ones mourned the victims and expressed anger over the killing.
"He had no business in our neighborhood with all the kids out here," said Felipe Morales Hernandez, 35, a neighbor who was close friends with the victim Sharon Jackson. "The guy thought he was in Iraq or something."
Morales was speaking of Matthew Sepi, the 20-year-old former Army specialist who is charged in connection with the shooting death of Jackson, 47, and the shooting of her 26-year-old boyfriend, Keven Ratcliff, in an alley behind her apartment on early Sunday morning.
Ratcliff was taken to UMC and is expected to survive, police said.
Jackson lived across the street from Sepi in the low-income neighborhood near the Stratosphere, but friends of Jackson said the two did not know each other and had no idea what may have prompted the shooting.
Sepi, who told police that he served in Iraq, was allegedly carrying an assault rifle under his coat when he was confronted by Ratcliff and Jackson as he was walking down an alley at around 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, according to a police report. He told police officers that Ratcliff had a handgun and fired in his direction.
Sepi said he returned fire with his assault rifle, killing Jackson and hitting Ratcliff, according to the police report. He told police that he was acting as his military training taught him to do when ambushed.
Police recovered six spent cartridges from the rifle and three spent 9mm rounds at the scene. They also recovered the 9mm gun from the alley and the rifle from Sepi's car, according to the arrest report.
Metro Sgt. Mike Thompson said police are continuing the investigation into the shooting and is interviewing witnesses. Sepi's arraignment, which had been set for Tuesday morning, was postponed, District Attorney David Roger said.
During his service as a specialist in the Army, Sepi received eight medals and decorations, including the National Defense Service medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Service medal, as well as a Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with a Rifle Bar and Overseas Service Bar, according to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in St. Louis.
Sepi served in Kuwait and Iraq from April 4, 2003 to March 18, 2004, according to U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
During his time in the military, Sepi served with the 4th Infantry Division Replacement Detachment out of Fort Carson, Colo., the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor, 3rd Brigade Team of the 4th Infantry Division, according to the Army Human Resources Command.
Sepi also served with Rifle Company A of the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division in September 2002.
Sepi entered the Army on May 15, 2002 and performed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., Army officials said. He was transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve on May 14, 2005, they said.
An award certificate in his apartment at 216 W. New York Ave. described the Department of the Army Commendation Medal for Pfc. Matthew Sepi of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Division. The award was for "exceptional meritorious service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom" and "his commitment and dedication to duty during combat operations brings great credit upon himself," according to the certificate.
Some combat veterans face difficulties upon returning to civilian life, said Robert Johnson, administrative assistant to the director at the Veterans Department of Veterans Affairs of Southern Nevada, health care section.
Soldiers returning from such situations can experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and face symptoms ranging from sleep disturbances and irritability to depression and substance abuse.
The door to Sepi's apartment was open Tuesday afternoon as a maintenance crew worked inside. Clothes were scattered on the floor, and the cupboards appeared bare. A large camouflage backpack was on a couch next to a hunting knife. Several rounds of ammunition were on the floor.
A Metro Police search warrant noting that officers were looking for a dark trench coat, among other items, was on the coffee table in the living room. The apartment was littered with scattered piles of trash and beer bottles.
Ann Nguyen, the owner of the apartment building, said that Sepi was a quiet tenant who had been living there since May.
"He kept to himself," she said by telephone from California.
She said he always paid his rent on time and with a money order, and that because of his size -- he is 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, according to the police report -- she thought he was in high school when she first met him.
A neighbor of Sepi's, Dennis Abelaye, described Sepi as "too quiet, too quiet." He said he never spoke directly to him.
While Sepi is described as a quiet loner, the woman he is accused of shooting was his exact opposite.
Jackson "did a lot for everyone -- she meant a lot to the neighborhood," said Hernandez. Hernandez and others in the neighborhood built a makeshift shrine of bottle and flowers and placed in the alley less than 100 feet from where Jackson died.
Joe Galluzzo, 56, said he lived with Jackson in a one bedroom apartment at 221 W. New York Avenue. He described Jackson as outgoing and always willing to share what she had with others, be it her apartment or a few dollars for a pack of cigarettes.
He and others said that Jackson was unemployed, and that she and Ratcliff had been dating for about three months. None of the neighbors interviewed by the Sun could account for the report that Ratcliff had a handgun and allegedly fired it at Sepi.
Galluzzo said he was in their apartment on the morning of the shooting and remembered that Jackson left with Ratcliff to go to a local bar or casino in the early morning hours of Sunday. He said he recalled that Ratcliff returned to apartment "to pick something up" and then left. Afterwards, he heard gunfire.
Galluzzo said he did not think Jackson and Ratcliff knew Sepi.
Yasmin Mayse, 18, was also friends with Jackson. She said Jackson had helped her at times and always provided a bed to sleep on during the weekends or a place to get a hot meal. Speaking from Jackson's apartment, she said that the small residence felt empty without Jackson.
"It's so hard to be in this house," she said.
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