Ex-girlfriend, kicked-over motorcycle sparked fight that led to fatal stabbing, police say

By Brian Nordli

Thursday, April 17, 2014 | 3:31 p.m.

Bruce Reid made two potentially fatal mistakes during the fight that preceded his death Tuesday afternoon.

One was releasing his combatant, Cody James Bradbury, from a bear hug. The other was not to notice Bradbury had removed a knife from Reid’s pocket as the scuffle took place.

According to a Metro Police arrest report issued today, free of Reid’s grasp, Bradbury used the knife to stab Reid in the stomach.

Thirty-five minutes later, Reid was dead.

Bradbury, 24, Las Vegas, is under arrest on one count of open murder. In two separate, unrelated cases, he’s also charged with possession of stolen property and faces sentencing next month for attempted theft.

The fight took place about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, outside the Savers thrift store at 3121 N. Rancho Drive. Police originally said a screwdriver had been used in the stabbing, but today they said the weapon was a knife.

According to the arrest report:

Bradbury told police he and his ex-girlfriend, Melodye Powell, were at Bradbury’s apartment earlier Tuesday afternoon and got into an argument. Powell left with Reid.

Later when Bradbury went to a telephone store on Rancho Drive, he noticed Reid’s motorcycle in the parking lot outside the Savers. Upset Powell had left the apartment earlier with Reid, Bradbury knocked over Reid’s motorcycle.

The fight was on when Reid punched Bradbury in the face.

After the stabbing, Reid stumbled into the thrift store, calling out "Melodye." Reid then stumbled outside, telling Powell that “Cory” stabbed him. Reid then collapsed. Witnesses saw Reid run off through a desert lot.

Metro officers patrolling in the area found Bradbury, 24, on a public bus in the 2600 block of North Decatur Boulevard, about a mile south of the crime scene.

Bradbury told police he stabbed Reid because Reid was on top of him during the fight. Bradbury told police after he left the parking lot, he ran to an apartment complex, removed a bloody white T-shirt, threw the knife into the desert and then tried to board the bus before being arrested.

Police discovered an outstanding warrant charging Bradbury with possessing 33 lighting fixtures stolen in December from the entrance of Kellogg-Zaher Park. He faces one count of possessing stolen property between $650 and $3,500 and one count of possessing stolen property greater than $3,500. Authorities also have charged Powell in the case, along with a third defendant, Kevin Kolterman.

Additionally, authorities said Bradbury had pleaded guilty to attempted theft stemming from his use of fraudulent credit cards at Golden Nugget in November 2013. Sentencing is scheduled May 20 in that case.

The Clark County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the stabbing case – the 31st homicide of the year in Metro's jurisdiction – and had not yet filed charges against Bradbury in it.

Bradbury remains without bond in the Clark County Detention Center.