Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Suspect in NLV murder searched internet for ‘how police interrogate suspects’

Michael Jamerson, 48, walked into his house May 14 with his juvenile son not realizing an intruder was already inside and hiding, North Las Vegas Police wrote in an arrest affidavit.

Police allege a suspect broke a hole on the outside of the house in the 400 block of Harold Street, and entered. The perpetrator knew the outline of the two-story residence, police said.

The suspect moved into the garage when the boy turned off the alarm and went upstairs for a shower, police said. After Jamerson entered the laundry room, he was shot in the head, police said. Officers responded to the neighborhood near Lone Mountain Road and Bruce Street about 6:50 p.m.

Two weeks later, the victim’s estranged son, Michael Jamerson Jr., was behind bars and accused of murder. According to the affidavit, police weren’t sure if he pulled the trigger, but allege he was involved in the slaying.

Jamerson, 32, was being held without bond at the Clark County Detention Center on one count each of murder and burglary, jail logs show. He was arrested on May 30 in his father’s neighborhood.

After the killing, police spoke to family members who told them to look into the victim’s relationship with his estranged son. They learned that the son had been awaiting to inherit his father’s house, and insurance claims.

In his first interview with police on May 21, Jamerson said he lived at his father’s house for about seven months, but that he’d been kicked out in September for not making rent and accidentally shooting a gun inside, police said.

A phone analysis showed that two days earlier, after police summoned him for a conversation, Jamerson had visited websites that showed “how police interrogate murder suspects,” “how do you find out you’re a suspect in a murder,” and “former detective reveals how to tell when suspects are lying,” police said.

They spoke with him again on May 23, police said. The same day they recovered a stolen gun allegedly owned by Jamerson.

Five days later, investigators found that the casing at the murder scene and the gun matched, police said.

Jamerson's attorney, Dan Winder, said his client intends pleading not guilty. Winder, who asked the public to withhold judgement until the case plays out in court, said his team is in the research and evidence gathering stage. The burden of proof is on the state, he said.