Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022 | 6:04 p.m.
Jason Spellman
A Las Vegas resident arrested earlier this week for allegedly shooting and killing a man in West Las Vegas told police he did it because the victim had confessed to the slaying of the suspect’s friend, who was “practically a family member to him,” according to a Metro Police arrest report.
Jason Spellman, 38, was taken into custody Sunday in connection to the homicide of Clarence Harvey, whom police said they found about 2:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Hassell Avenue, suffering from a possible gunshot wound. Harvey was transported to the University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
The investigation by police indicated that Harvey was walking on the sidewalk of Hassell Avenue when Spellman drove toward him in an SUV, allegedly opening fire with a handgun and hitting him with the vehicle.
Harvey eventually collapsed, at which point Spellman allegedly made a U-turn and parked the SUV, firing one more time before making another turnabout and driving away from the scene, the report said.
Police located the suspect’s vehicle, then trailed and pulled over a woman who began driving it. The woman was detained and told Metro detectives her boyfriend, later identified as Spellman, had borrowed the SUV earlier that day.
Spellman was apprehended at a residence in the 3300 block of North Decatur Boulevard without incident, the report said.
In an interview with detectives, Spellman said he first encountered Harvey on Sunday at a gathering for his friend, 54-year-old William Hill Jr., who had been killed the day before.
The Clark County Coroner's Office confirmed that Hill was the victim of a homicide Saturday afternoon, when police said he was shot outside his residence in the 1100 block of Hassell Avenue while helping two acquaintances fix their vehicle. He was later pronounced dead at University Medical Center.
Spellman told police that Harvey came to the gathering Sunday and said he killed Hill for “Spellman’s benefit due to some business opportunities,” according to the report. Spellman, who was allegedly very close to Hill, became angry.
He followed Harvey as he left the gathering and told police his anger increased when Harvey “looked at him with a disrespectful look as he drove by,” the report said. Spellman allegedly pulled a handgun and fired one round at Harvey from the SUV, then circled back around, parked next to him and fired another round before fleeing the scene.
Spellman has multiple prior charges dating back to 2005, including attempted murder with a deadly weapon, domestic violence charges and others, according to court records. He was booked Sunday into the Clark County Detention Center and charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon, police said.
