Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Police: Robbery attempt that turned deadly was plotted on Facebook

Demario Lofton-Robinson

Demario Lofton-Robinson

Davontae Wheeler

Davontae Wheeler

Reakwon Robertson

Reakwon Robertson

A planned robbery that turned into a deadly shooting outside a southwest valley house had been plotted on Facebook some 12 hours earlier, according to a Metro Police report.

Raekwon Robertson, Davontae Wheeler, Demario Lofton-Robinson and an unnamed teen planned to “hit” the residence of the victim, Gabriel Valenzuela, at midnight on Aug. 8, after Robertson and the teen made their plans earlier via Facebook, police said.

But the plot turned fatal when Valenzuela — standing in the driveway of his home in the 5500 block of Dewey Drive — resisted and was shot four times, police said.

Lofton-Robinson, 18, and the teen were arrested hours later after a witness, who was jogging in the area, identified a white Mercury Grand Marquis getaway car captured on surveillance video at a nearby convenience store about an hour before the shooting, police said.

Officers tracked the car to Lofton-Robinson’s home and pulled him over and arrested him as he was driving away, police said. The teen also was arrested, police said.

They were each booked on counts of murder, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, police said.

Lofton-Robinson confessed to aiming a .45 caliber handgun at Valenzuela’s chest and firing one round, police said. The teen said he was involved in the robbery attempt but “became afraid and turned around” as the three men moved toward the victim, police said.

Police used Lofton-Robinson’s and the teen’s cell phones to track down Robertson, who also was a suspect in an Aug. 2 robbery at the Fiesta Discount Market and Smoke Shop at 7010 W. Charleston Blvd. Police allege Robertson, 20, robbed a store clerk of $200 and took a customer’s wallet, cell phone and purse.

Robertson, who was arrested on Tuesday, faces counts of murder, burglary and attempted robbery, and two counts each of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, police said.

Wheeler, 22, also was arrested Tuesday and faces counts of murder, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, police said.