Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Second man arrested in apparent murder-for-hire plot

Metro Police arrested a second suspect Wednesday in a possible murder-for-hire plot in which a man was shot in the neck while driving on Interstate 15 near Valley of Fire.

Richard William Pearson, 39, of Las Vegas was booked into Clark County Detention Center on charges of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial body harm and violation of parole.

Police said Robert Bessey, 49, was driving southbound on I-15 around 4:35 a.m. on Nov. 14, when a gold-colored SUV pulled up and shot at him.

During the investigation, police uncovered a possible murder plot allegedly devised by his 21-year-old adopted son, Michael Bessey. Police said the ex-convict Pearson is Michael Bessey's uncle. Police said Robert Bessey was in the midst of a divorce and had a substantial life insurance policy that ended once the divorce was finalized.

Surveillance footage at a convenience store showed Michael Bessey and Pearson leaving in a gold colored SUV around 3:30 a.m. that same day. Community tips helped police track down Pearson, who was arrested around 4 p.m. on Wednesday in the 4500 block of Birdsong Way in southwest Las Vegas.

Michael Bessey was arrested on Nov. 15, and is held at the Clark County Detention Center under a $500,000 bail.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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