Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Crime:

Victim was chased out of apartment before deadly shooting

Click to enlarge photo

Brian Beltran

Possible gang-related shooting

A homicide victim and his accused killer were trying to jump-start a vehicle before an argument led to a shooting Monday morning, according to an arrest report released Friday.

Metro Police found 23-year-old Kenneth Mallett, who had been shot, lying between two cars connected by jumper cables at a northwest valley apartment complex. He later died from his injuries at University Medical Center.

Authorities on Wednesday arrested the suspect, Brian Michael Beltran, in Fresno, Calif., where he fled after the shooting.

The Clark District Attorney’s Office has charged Beltran with murder with use of a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed firearm, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

The exact nature of the men’s argument is unclear. The arrest report outlines the following chain of events:

Residents in the Camden Breeze apartments, 7101 Smoke Ranch Road, said the pair had asked several neighbors for help jump-starting a 1998 Mitsubishi Gallant.

Later, a painter, who had volunteered to help jump-start the vehicle, saw the men arguing before Beltran pulled a gun from his waistband and shot Mallett.

Detectives also interviewed two men living in an apartment, where residents say they frequently saw Beltran. The men, Roman Martinez and Kevin Perron, initially denied being home at the time of the shooting.

Martinez eventually told detectives, however, that Beltran had spent Sunday night at their apartment. Martinez said he was asleep Monday morning when his bedroom door opened and an unknown man — later identified as Mallett — walked in.

Martinez said he chased Mallett out of the apartment and encountered Beltran outside. That’s when Beltran and Mallett began arguing, Martinez said.

The pair walked out of his view and, several minutes later, Martinez heard gunshots.

Martinez later received a phone call from his uncle, who told him Beltran had “got into some (expletive).” The uncle, Antonio Ramirez, told Martinez he was driving from California to pick up Beltran.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department contacted Metro detectives Tuesday after receiving a tip related to the case.

Police said Beltran remains in custody in Fresno, Calif., pending extradition to Las Vegas.

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