Man pleads not guilty in shooting death of girl, 9

By Jeff Pope

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 | 1:38 p.m.

A North Las Vegas man was arraigned today on charges of shooting to death a 9-year-old girl.

Marcus Larry, 27, pleaded not guilty in Clark County District Court to the June 12 murder of Savannah Bullins.

The arraignment for the second codefendant, Kenneth Reid, was postponed until Oct. 22 because of a potential conflict with the trial schedule. His attorney, Augustas Claus, said his client wanted to invoke his right to a trial within 60 days.

Larry waived that right and Judge James Bixler scheduled his trial for Aug. 2, 2010.

Larry remains under house arrest, which prosecutors didn’t object to because he was not the alleged gunman, according to court records.

Reid, 21, is held on $720,000 total bonds in the North Las Vegas Detention Center.

Bixler said he thought it was unusual that North Las Vegas Judge Stephen Dahl released Larry from jail because both men are charged with murder.

“Every single little bitty aspect of house arrest needs to be absolutely complied with,” Bixler said. “If he comes in violation of house arrest, he will go back into custody.”

Both men are charged with murder with use of a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm into a structure. Each charge also carries a gang enhancement that could extend any sentence, if convicted.

The two defendants are members of the 004 Hoodsmen Bloods gang, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also charged Reid with one count of an ex-felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to shooting a former rival gang member twice. He served the minimum four years of a 10-year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon and to promote, further or assist a gang, according to prison records.

Bullins was shot in her second-story apartment at 2112 Sun Ave., near Cheyenne Avenue and Interstate 15. Police said multiple rounds were fired from the ground.

There were five other children, ages 2 to 11, in the apartment along with the girl's father, Willie Bullins, and his wife.

A witness told police that Reid and Larry targeted the girl’s father over drug territory. Willie Bullins told police he had sold marijuana from his apartment, according the police report.