Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Teen suspect in football star’s slaying to be charged as adult

13th Annual Phase 1 Sports Football Camp

Steve Marcus

Richard Nelson, left, of Chaparral, and Tony Fields of Desert Pines take a break during the 13th annual Phase 1 Sports Football Combine and Skills Camp at Faith Lutheran High School Sunday, April 12, 2015. .

Richard Newsome

Richard Newsome

Click to enlarge photo

Tianna Thomas

A teen accused in the slaying of a former Chaparral High School football star on Saturday was identified today and will be charged as an adult, according to Metro Police.

Richard Newsome, 17, was booked on a count of murder at the Clark County Detention Center after the court classified him Wednesday as an adult, police said.

He and his mother, Tianna Thomas, 37, were arrested on Tuesday. Thomas, who also uses Douglas as a last name, was booked on a count of harboring, concealing and aiding a felony suspect but has since been released on bail, court logs show.

Officers and medical crews were dispatched about 7:30 p.m. Saturday to the 4800 block of Sacks Drive, near Nellis Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, police said.

An initial investigation determined Richard Nelson, 18, was inside a house and went outside to help a family member who was in a fight with multiple people, including Newsome, police said. That’s when Newsome fired a gun and fled, police allege.

Nelson died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Newsome’s next court appearance is Friday, while Thomas is next scheduled to appear before a judge on April 3, court logs show.

A ceremony to honor Nelson, who police said was shot multiple times when he was trying to shield a female family member, was scheduled at the high school this afternoon.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy