Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Metro: Body of young boy found in desert between Vegas and Pahrump

Unidentified Boy's Body Found In Desert: Sketch Released

Christopher DeVargas

Lt. Ray Spencer of LVMPD’s homicide section releases a sketch of the unidentified 10-year-old Hispanic boy, 4 ft 11inches and 123 pounds, who’s body was found earlier today in the desert between Las Vegas and Pahrump Friday May 28, 2021.

Updated Friday, May 28, 2021 | 6:43 p.m.

Metro Police haven’t been able to identify a child slaying victim whose remains were discovered in a “forest area” by a person hiking Friday morning at Mountain Springs Trailhead, located off the road that connects Las Vegas to Pahrump, Lt. Ray Spencer said.

It’s “paramount” that the boy’s identity be known so the investigation can progress, said Spencer during a briefing held 10 hours after the crime scene was discovered.

During the briefing, Spencer unveiled a sketch rendering of the victim, describing him as a 10-year-old Hispanic boy with “dark black hair,” who stood about 4 feet, 11 inches, and weighed about 120 pounds.

The investigation comprises detectives from multiple Metro departments, who’ve reached out to law enforcement across the Las Vegas Valley, Nye County and Southern California to see if the boy matches photos of missing persons reports.

That lead was cold as of Friday evening, Spencer said.

The human remains were found about 7:30 a.m. near the Mountain Springs community, about 30 miles southwest of Las Vegas on state Route 160, said Spencer, who did not expound on a possible cause of death, only noting earlier that he “was clearly the victim of a homicide.”

Spencer said the boy died within 24 hours before he was found near some bushes. Police noted in a news release that investigators believe the body was placed there shortly before it was found.

Police were asking for the community’s help to find out who the boy was, regardless of how insignificant they think the details they provide are, said Spencer, adding that detectives were scouring the area for possible surveillance footage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro at 702-828-3521 or via email at [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppesrofnv.com.