Las Vegas police: Man faces murder count in stabbing of homeless man

A man previously jailed in the stabbings of four homeless people is facing a count of open murder in the slaying of another person, according to Metro Police.

The latest count is related to a stabbing reported about 7:05 a.m. on Feb. 15 in the 4400 block of South Escondido Street, police said.

The victim, who was found on a sidewalk with apparent stab wounds, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. He was homeless and known to frequent the area, police said.

Detectives identified Christopher Martell, 33, as the suspect, police said.

Martell was arrested Sept. 21 on two counts of open murder and two counts of attempted murder in the stabbings of four homeless people near the UNLV campus, police said.

Martell was arrested after officers responded about 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 to the 2000 block of East Flamingo Road, where a woman in her 30s was attacked while pushing a man in a wheelchair, police said. After the woman fell to the ground, the attacker stabbed the man, police said.

Both victims were hospitalized in critical but stable condition, police said at the time.

Police used witness descriptions and cameras they hid in the area after two previous fatal stabbings to identify Martell as a suspect, Metro Lt. Jason Johansson said.

The first stabbing was reported about 6:10 p.m. on Sept. 14 in the 1400 block of East University Avenue, police said.

Just a few blocks away, another homeless woman in her 70s was found stabbed to death about 6:55 a.m. on Sept. 20 near Flamingo and Algonquin Drive, police said.