A Census of Intimate Partner Gun Homicides in Nevada - March 2016

8/18/2019 A Census of Intimate Partner Gun Homicides in Nevada - March 2016

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A CENSUS OF INTIMATE PARTNERGUN HOMICIDES IN NEVADA

MARCH 2016


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2 Executive Summary

5 Background: Weak Gun Laws and Domestic Violence

6 A Census of Intimate Partner Gun Homicides in Nevada

7 Patterns and Trends

10 Selected Incidents

14 Conclusion

15 Notes

17 Appendix

A CENSUS OF INTIMATE PARTNERGUN HOMICIDES IN NEVADA

EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFE TY SUPPORT FUND

THE NEVADA NET WORK AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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In the early hours of July 9, 2012, Korinda Rodriguez and her husband, Jerey,

prepared to leave their home in Reno to go to work at a local newspaper , where they were both employed. As they got ready, the couple began to argue.

They had fought in the past but on this particular morning, Korinda threatened

to leave Jerey. In separate cars, Jerey followed Korinda as she drove to work.

When she tried to speed away from him, he became enraged and, on the

median of U.S. 395, he used his vehicle to run her o the road.

As she stood beside her car, threatening to call the police, Jerey drew his gun.

By the time the police arrived at the scene, it was too late. Jerey had shot

Korinda twice, killing her, before opening re at passing vehicles. While there

was nothing anyone could do to save Korinda’s life at that point, her murder

was not inevitable and represented, among other things, the failure of state

gun laws to protect her.

From the standpoint of the law, Jerey should not have been able to purchase

the rearm he used to kill Korinda. He had been convicted of numerous

felonies including sexually motivated coercion of a minor, burglary, and

attempted theft, any of which prohibited him from purchasing and possessingrearms under federal and Nevada law. If Jerey had tried to purchase the gun

from a licensed rearm dealer, federal law would have required him to pass a

background check before he could buy the rearm. Jerey would have failed,

and the sale would have been stopped.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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In addition to those who were killed or injured, at least 20 children

witnessed or were present for the shootings. In fact, at least39 percent of the murders took place in the presence of other

individuals, demonstrating the devastating impact these homicides

had on the children, families, and community members present

during the shootings.

There were ample indications that the perpetrators posed a risk to

their partners. More than one in four shooters had a criminal

record that prohibited them from possessing rearms—the

majority due to a prior domestic violence crime.

Of six homicides committed by people barred from possessing

rearms where the source of the gun could be determined, two

obtained them in an unlicensed transfer.

After murdering their intimate partners, nearly two-thirds of the

oenders killed themselves, all but one with a rearm.

These murders and the data drawn from them shine a light on fataldomestic violence in Nevada—and illuminate solutions that may prevent

future abusers from obtaining rearms and causing further deaths. The

incidents documented in this report vividly illustrate that Nevada needs

an improved approach to addressing the threat gun violence poses for

victims of domestic violence.

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BACKGROUND: WEAK GUN L AWS AND

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic violence—a pattern of intimidation andmanipulation that manifests in many dierent formsof abuse, such as physical, emotional, psychological,and sexual2 —aects the lives of women across theUnited States.3 More than a million women in theUnited States are physically assaulted by an intimatepartner every year, and more than one in threewomen in the United States will experience domesticabuse in her lifetime.4

In the United States, domestic violence is deeplyintertwined with gun violence. Over the past 25years in the United States, more intimate partnerhomicides have been committed with guns than

with all other weapons combined.5

This is, in part,because the presence of a gun in a domesticviolence situation increases vefold the risk ofhomicide for the victim.6 Abusers also often useguns as a means of intimidation and control:two-thirds of women who had been abused andwho lived in a household with a rearm reportedthat their partner had used it against them, mostoften by threatening to shoot or kill them.7

The connection between domestic violence and gunviolence is readily apparent in Nevada. An Everytownanalysis of FBI data found that 49 percent of womenkilled by intimate partners in the state were shot to

death.8

And Nevadan women are 65 percent morelikely to be shot to death by their intimate partnersthan women nationwide: there were 6.6 domesticviolence gun homicides per million female Nevadanscompared to 4.0 nationwide, the fth highest rate ofany state.9

Victims are often asked why they do not leave violentrelationships. Separation from an abusive partnermay jeopardize their nancial stability or custodyover their children; furthermore, leaving is the mostdangerous time for victims. Of the victims in thisstudy, 31 percent had already left their abusers atthe time they were killed.

Due to the elevated risk posed by abusers whoobtain rearms, state and federal lawmakers haveresponded with measures intended to keep gunsout of the hands of domestic abusers. States withthe strongest laws require criminal backgroundchecks for all gun sales, bar domestic abusers andstalkers from purchasing and possessing rearms,and have implemented processes to ensure thatabusers turn in the guns already in their possessionwhen they become prohibited.

Properly enforced, these laws make women safer.In states that require background checks for allhandgun sales, 46 percent fewer women are shot

to death by intimate partners.10 And research showsthat state laws restricting rearm access to peopleunder domestic violence restraining ordersexperience 25 percent fewer domestic violencegun murders.11

But in many states, gaps in the law and failures ofenforcement give domestic abusers easy access toguns. Nevada’s laws contain such loopholes, andthey represent a lethal threat to victims of domesticand family violence in the state.

Nevada law does not require backgroundchecks for all gun sales. Federal and state lawprohibit convicted domestic abusers and peoplesubject to qualifying domestic violence protectionorders from buying guns12 (in Nevada, qualifyingprotection orders, called “domestic violenceextended protection orders,” are those issued afternotice and a hearing).13 Licensed gun dealers arerequired to conduct background checks and thepublic safety benets of this measure are plain: In just the last three years, background checksconducted by Nevada dealers blocked 5,379 gunsales to prohibited people including 959 to peopleconvicted of domestic violence misdemeanors orsubject to domestic violence protection orders.14 But unlicensed gun sales are exempt from the

background check requirement, greatly underminingthe eectiveness of these prohibitions. Abusers whoare prohibited from possessing rearms are still ableto easily obtain them in unlicensed sales—notably atgun shows or online—with no background checkrequired.

Nevada law does not ensure that domesticabusers who become prohibited from havingguns turn in any guns they already own. Lastyear, Nevada enacted laws prohibiting gunpossession by convicted abusers15 and abusersunder most extended protection orders.16 But whenabusers becomes prohibited from possessing gunsbecause they are convicted of domestic violencecrimes, there is no law requiring them to turn in theguns they already own. And in the case of abuserswho become subject to domestic violence extendedprotection orders, although the court may requirethem to turn in any guns already in their possession,that important safeguard is not automatic. Evenwhen an abuser under an extended protectionorder is required to turn in his or her rearms, thereis no clear enforcement process to ensure theabuser relinquishes them. These gaps in the lawmean that many dangerous oenders keep theirguns.

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A CENSUS OF INTIMATE PARTNER

GUN HOMICIDES IN NEVADA

METHODOLOGY

To examine the circumstances of domestic violencegun homicides in Nevada—and to identifyopportunities for prevention—Everytown attemptedto identify every intimate partner gun homicide inthe state between 2010 and 2014. Incidents weredrawn from a list of shootings provided by theNevada Network Against Domestic Violence,incidents listed in the FBI’s Supplementary HomicideReports, police and court documents, and mediareports. Everytown only included incidents in whichan individual killed a current or former intimatepartner (spouse or dating partner) and rearminjuries were determined to be the primary cause ofdeath.17

For each included incident, Everytown reviewedpublicly available media reports, subscription-basednews databases, and police and court records todevelop further information on the relationshipbetween the perpetrator and the victim, the priorcriminal history of the perpetrator, and the source ofthe rearm, where known. In several cases,Everytown spoke with family members of the victimsto obtain further details.

This census likely undercounts the true number of

intimate partner gun homicides in the state.18

TheFBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports rely onpolice departments to voluntarily submit theirhomicide data on an annual basis and based on acomparison with rearm homicide data from theCDC’s National Vital Statistics System Fatal InjuryReports during the same time period, the totalnumber of homicides is likely underreported.19 Additionally, the FBI’s Supplementary HomicideReports do not have a category for identifyinghomicides between former dating partners,meaning those homicides cannot be included in thetotal of intimate partner homicides.20

Nevertheless, this census represents the mostcomprehensive analysis of intimate partner gunhomicide data in Nevada to date, and providespolicymakers with important information on thefrequency, nature, and impact of intimate partnergun violence in their state.

In isolation, these are tragedies, but taken togetheras a group, patterns emerge—as do opportunitiesfor prevention.

INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDES OF NEVADA WOMEN, BY METHOD

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2008–2012.

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

OTHER METHODS

26%

KNIFE / CUTTING

INSTRUMENT

25%

FIREARM

49 %

RATES OF INTIMATE PARTNER GUN HOMICIDES OF WOMEN

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation Supplementary

Homicide Reports, 2008–2012, and Florida Department

of Law Enforcement.

G U N H

O M I C I D E S

P E R

M I L L I O N F

E M A L E

R E S I D E N T S

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

6.58

NEVADA

NATIONAL

AVERAGE

3.96

2.66

STATES THAT

REQUIRE

BACKGROUND

CHECKS FOR

ALL HANDGUN

SALES

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PATTERNS AND TRENDS

WHO WAS KILLED OR INJURED

The vast majority of victims—83 percent—werewomen, and their median age was 37 years.Frequently, they did not die alone: nearly 40 percentwere shot in front of other people, and in nearly 1 in5 homicides (17 percent), the perpetrator shot atleast one additional victim not including him orherself. This accounted for six additional deaths andfour non-fatal injuries.21

The shootings had an enormous impact on children,whether or not they were physically injured. Nearlyhalf of the perpetrators killed a partner with whom

they had a child (46 percent); in 67 percent of thosecases, the shooter subsequently killed him orherself, leaving their children parentless. Threechildren were shot during these domestic violencegun homicides, of whom two died. Another childwas killed when she was stabbed during theincident. At least 20 other children witnessed orwere present for the shootings. Some discoveredthe body of a parent or relative, others witnessedthem die, and one attempted CPR on his dyingmother.

Childhood exposure to domestic violence has beenlinked with problems including depression,

addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder22—and these cases clearly illustrate that connection. Incourt documents, surv iving family membersfrequently described the lasting psychologicalimpact this had on these children. For example,when 44-year-old Las Vegas resident Troy Whiteshot and killed his estranged wife Echo Lucas, 29, ather residence, ve of Echo’s children were in thehome. Testimony in the subsequent trial traced thepsychological impact the loss had on the children:several developed behavioral problems and onechild threatened suicide and was diagnosed withdepression and PTSD.23

THE TOLL ON CHILDREN

INJURIES

1 ADULT FEMALE 2 ADULT MALES 1 GIRL

HOMICIDE VICTIMS

40 ADULT FEMALES

10 ADULT MALES 1 BOY 2 GIRLS

SUICIDES

2 ADULT FEMALES 28 ADULT MALES

20 CHILD WITNESSES

CHILDREN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE

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WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER

The majority of the shootings (85 percent) wereperpetrated by men. The median age of theperpetrators was 46, twenty years older than themedian age of gun homicide perpetratorsnationwide.24 Af ter committing homicide, two-thirdsof the shooters (65 percent) killed themselves, amore frequent occurrence among maleperpetrators (72 percent) than among femaleperpetrators (29 percent). All but one of thesesuicides were completed with a rearm.25

More than half of the couples (56 percent) werecurrently or formerly married at the time of thehomicide. The remainder (44 percent) were currentor former dating partners. The vast majority of the

couples—at least 93 percent—had lived togetherprior to or at the time of the incident.

At least twelve shooters (26 percent) had a priorcriminal history that prohibited them frompossessing rearms. Many of these convictions werefor violent crimes, including attempted murder,kidnapping, and child abuse. Two additionalshooters had prior arrests or convictions notsucient to disqualify them from possessing

rearms.Of the shooters prohibited from possessing guns,75 percent had criminal convictions for acts ofdomestic violence. According to court documents,they had previously beaten, stabbed, verballythreatened, and even shot their intimate partners.

BARRED FROM POSSES SING GUNS

INTIMATE PARTNER GUN HOMICIDES BYRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERPETRATOR

AND VICTIM

52% Current husband

and wife

20% Former dating partner

24% Current

dating partner

4% Former

husband and wife

PERPETRATORS’ CRIMINAL HISTORY

2% Previous convictions

that did not prohibit gun

ownership

26% Previous convictions

that prohibited gunownership

2% Previous arrests but

not convictions

70% No evidence of

previous arrests or

convictions

SHOOTER SUICIDE

100%

80%

60%

50%

20%

0%

SHOOTER

DID NOT

COMMIT

SUICIDE

35%

SHOOTER

COMMITTED

SUICIDE

65%

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PRIOR HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

In more than a quarter of the cases (28 percent),the perpetrator had a documented history ofviolence, either through a prior domesticviolence-related conviction, police involvement, orprotection order.26

Twelve homicides were committed by shootersprohibited from possessing guns; by obtaining andreviewing police and court records, Everytown wasable to glean information about the source of therearm in six of them. Two of the perpetrators

purchased their guns in unlicensed sales, withoutbackground checks. Two of the shootings wereperpetrated with guns that had been reportedstolen prior to the shooting, though it is unclearhow the shooters themselves ultimately obtainedthe rearms. One shooter borrowed a gun from afriend in the days leading up to the homicide. Andone perpetrator used a gun that had belonged to adeceased relative.

In at least three cases, the perpetrator used thevictim’s own gun against him or her.

GUN SOURCE

GEOGRAPHICAL TRENDS

Nearly three-quarters of identied intimate partnergun homicides occurred in Clark County.27 WashoeCounty has the second-largest number of homicides,accounting for 9 percent of the incidents. Theremainder occurred in Carson City, Douglas, Elko,Lyon, and White Pine counties. Of the homicides forwhich we could determine the location, the majorityof the incidents (76 percent) took place at theresidence of the victim or the shooter. In fourincidents (9 percent), the shooter sought out thevictim at his or her place of work, and two incidentstook place in a vehicle.

PERPETRATORS’ HISTORY OF REPORTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

72% None

28% Criminal Justice

System had prior DV

contact

PROHIBITED PERSONS’ DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONVICTIONS

42% DV-related felony

conviction

25% No prior

DV convictions

33% DV misdemeanor

conviction

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KORINDA RODRIGUEZ, AGE 29, RENO

Twenty-nine-year-old Korinda Rodriguez and Jeffrey Rodriguez, 32, woke in the early

hours of the morning of July 9, 2012 to get ready for their shifts at a local newspaper,

where they were both employed. During the course of an argument, Korinda threatened

to leave Jeffrey and to take their three-year-old and four-month-old daughters.

They continued to fight as they left home in separate vehicles, but Jeffrey followed Korinda in his minivanand ran her vehicle into a median along U.S. 395. Then, using one of the two guns he had in the glovecompartment of his car, he shot her twice in the chest. Two vehicles of passersby stopped to help,mistakenly thinking the couple had been in an accident. Jeffrey shot at both vehicles. According to court

documents, he fled the scene and later returned, where he was arrested.

Jef frey had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, which prohibited him from possessing firearmsunder both federal and Nevada law. In 2004 he pleaded guilty to attempted theft; in 2006, to burglary; andin 2008 to sexually motivated coercion of his 11-year-old sis ter.

Nevada law allowed Jeffrey to evadethe background check system bypurchasing both guns in unlicensedsales—one from his neighbor and onefrom his neighbors’ son. After theshooting, Jeffrey told police that he“knew [he] wasn’t really supposed to

have [the gun]”, but he also knew thathe could purchase a gun from hisneighbors without a backgroundcheck because “Nevada gun laws arepretty lenient.”28

For shooting Korinda and at thewitnesses, Jeffrey was found guilty offirst-degree murder, three counts ofassault with a deadly weapon, andbeing a felon in possession of afirearm. He was sentenced to life inprison with the possibility of parole.

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BRITTNEY LAVOLL, AGE 22, LA S VEGAS

At approximately 5:45 a.m. on March 25, 2010, 22-year-old Brittney Lavoll arrived for

work at the Jack In The Box on Lake Mead Boulevard in Las Vegas. As she got out of her

car, she was approached by 26-year-old Kevin Gipson, a man she had previously dated

and with whom she had two children. A struggle broke out and Brittney screamed for

help before Gipson shot her in the head at close range with a .25-caliber handgun.

Brittney was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Gipson fled the scene on foot, but under questioning bythe police the following day, he confessed to the crime.

At the time of the homicide, Gipson had a criminal history that prohibited him from possessing firearms: In

2003 and 2005, he pleaded guilty to domestic violence misdemeanor, and in 2006 he was found guilty offelony robbery. In the course of the police investigation, numerous parties said that Gipson also had ahistory of violence against Brittney. A babysitter for Brittney’s three children attested to a violentrelationship between the two. Brittney had ended her relationship with Gipson about two and a half yearsearlier because she suspected he was using drugs. Brittney’s mother Mechele reported that Gipson hadthreatened to shoot Brittney on previous occasions. And about a month before the homicide, Gipson’smother contacted Brittney and told her that Gipson had a gun and was on his way to kill her, though he didnot ultimately do so at that time.

Gipson told police that he bought thehandgun the day before the shootingin an unlicensed sale from a friend,with whom he exchanged cash andmarijuana. After the murder he

returned the gun to his friend withoutinforming him that it had been used inthe commission of a cr ime.

In 2011, Gipson pleaded guilty tomurder with the use of a deadlyweapon for shooting Brittney.

Brittney’s death devastated herparents and her children. Mecheledescribed the pain she still deals withfive years af ter Brittney’s death:

“Losing a child is a feeling that can’t beexplained. I still cry every day for her. I

constantly fight back tears when Icatch myself staring at [her children]because all three of them havecharacteristics of Brittney.”29

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MARY INMAN, AGE 42, ELKO

On April 30, 2011, shortly after 2 p.m., 53-year-old David Heinzig arrived at the Smith

Power Products office building in Elko, the workplace of his ex-wife Mary Inman, 42.

He broke into Mary’s locked office and shot her multiple times at close range with a

12-gauge shotgun. He then fled in his vehicle and a few hours later was found in a

motel room in North Las Vegas with a fatal gunshot wound.

Heinzig had a criminal record thatprohibited him from possessingfirearms: in 1982, he pleaded guiltyto felonious grand larceny in

Oklahoma. Heinzig’s and Mary’srelationship, which had ended indivorce in November 2010, hadgrown increasingly volatile overtime. In subsequent interviewswith police, family membersdescribed Heinzig’s violenceagainst Mary, detailing manyincidents including one in whichMary locked herself in a car asHeinzig stood outside of it,threatening her with a gun. Marywas suff iciently worried about

Heinzig’s access to the gun thatshe often tried to hide it from him.

Beginning in the spring of 2010, Mary took out a series of temporary restraining orders against Heinzig,which he violated on at least one occasion by trying to contact Mary and to gain access to her residence.In February of that year Mary took out the last temporary restraining order against him, which was still ineffect at the time of the shooting, having been extended several times due to difficulty in scheduling thehearing necessary to issue an extended protection order. Heinzig was prohibited under state and federallaw from buying or possessing firearms due to his previous criminal conviction. None of the temporaryorders required Heinzig to turn in his guns. Had an extended protection order been issued, the judgecould have required Heinzig to turn in any guns in his possession. However, this temporary order providedno such opportunity.

Weeks before the murder, Mary seemed to become increasingly fearful for her life. She frequently spoke about her fears with her sister, Paula Hartbank. According to Paula, Mary told her “If something happens tome, Dave did it.” Two weeks before she was killed, Mary mailed a number of important papers to Paula,including her will, with a note that said “I am sending this to you in case something happens to me.” 30

On the morning of Mary’s murder, Paula called Mary to talk. In that phone call Mary said “You know what?I think [Dave] is finally starting to leave me alone.” Forty minutes later, Mary was dead.

Mary comes from a close family, and Paula described the difficulty her mother, siblings, and daughter stillface. “It’s just been a hard, hard thing. She was a huge part of our lives…You just wish you could rewindthat day and change things for her, for all of us…Mary was around for 41 years of my life. I tried to call herthe other day and remembered, ‘Oh my god, I can’t call her.’”31

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KRYSTAL McADOW, AGE 23, LAS VEGAS

According to court documents led by prosecutors, on July 17, 2014, 32-year-old Samuel

McFarland drove up to the vehicle of his ex-girlfriend, Krystal McAdow, 23, where she

was sitting with a friend at a gas pump outside a 7-Eleven on West Sahara Avenue in Las

Vegas, and shot her through the windshield, killing her. McFarland then ed the scene. He

was arrested two weeks later in California.

McFarland was prohibited frompossessing firearms due to a priorcriminal history. In 2005, McFarlandpleaded no contest and was found

guilty of a domestic violencemisdemeanor (battery) against histhen-girlfriend, with whom hecohabitated at the time of the incident.In 2012, he was charged with the felonycrime of battery with substantial bodilyharm, and charges were pending at thetime of the homicide. Court recordsshow that McFarland had also beenviolent towards Krys tal in the past.Several days before the homicide,McFarland shot at Krystal, but she wasnot physically injured, in an incident

that was not reported to the policeuntil after Krys tal’s death.

After the shooting, police spoke with afriend of McFarland’s who describedhow McFarland carried guns andbought and sold them through thewebsite Backpage.com, a classifiedadvertising website. Unlicensed salesarranged online — like those at gunshows or in person — are not subjectto a background check requirement. The police investigation did not clarify whether McFarland obtainedthe murder weapon in an unlicensed sale on that website or through other means.

McFarland was charged with murder and, as of March 2016, the case is still pending.

In the days after her daughter’s murder, Krystal’s mother said, “I can’t imagine my life without her, andthat’s the hardest thing. Everyone that knew her, every life that she’s touched, you’ll never forget her. She’sunforgettable.” 32

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The connection between domestic violence and gun homicides in Nevada is stark,and the incidents detailed in this report display the scale, scope, and dynamics of

the problem. Together, they illustrate the devastating impact of intimate partner gun

homicides—for those killed, for those injured, for those who witnessed the violence,

and for all those left behind.

Because of the risk that rearms pose when they intersect with domestic violence,

the best way to prevent intimate partner gun homicides is to enact and implement

state laws aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. These

measures include prohibiting all domestic abusers and stalkers from buying or

possessing rearms, requiring background checks for all gun sales, and creating

processes to ensure that abusers and stalkers who become prohibited from having

guns surrender the rearms already in their possession. In 2015, Nevada took the rst

step by enacting laws to prohibit gun possession by convicted domestic abusers and,

in most circumstances, those under domestic violence extended protection orders.

Closing the remaining gaps in Nevada’s laws will save lives.

The fatalities documented in this report were not unavoidable. Among other things,

stronger gun laws could have prevented many abusers from obtaining rearms.

If Nevada policymakers take action to close the loopholes that allow dangerous

individuals unrestricted access to rearms, they will make the state a safer place

for its residents.

CONCLUSION

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1. Everytown for Gun Safety, “State background check requirements and rates of domestic violence homicide,” available at http://every.tw/1fmRnLI.

2. National Network to End Domestic Violence, “Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Violence,” available at http://bit.ly/1mdcSBI.

3 . While domestic violence does not discriminate based on gender, American women are at a statistically higher risk of experiencing severe physicaldomestic violence than American men; approximately one in four women (22.3 percent) have been a victim of severe physical violence by anintimate partner as compared to one in seven men (14.0 percent); see Breiding MJ, Smith SG, Basile KC, Walters ML, Chen J, Merrick MT. Prevalenceand Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization—National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey,United States, 2011. MMWR 2014; 63(SS-8): 1-18.

4. “Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Centers for InjuryPrevention and Control (March 2003), available at: http://1.usa.gov/1zgqF0l.

5. Professor April M. Zeoli, Letter to the Hon. Patrick J. Leahy and Charles Grassley, Jan. 28, 2013.

6. J.C. Campbell, S.W. Webster, J.Koziol-McLain, et al., “Risk factors for femicide within physically abuse intimate relationships: results from a multi-statecase control study,” 93 Amer. J. of Public Health 1089-97 (2003).

7. Susan B. Sorenson and Douglas J. Wiebe, “Weapons in the Lives of Battered Women,” 94 Am. J. Pub. Health 1412-1413 (2004).

8. Everytown analysis of FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2008-2012, available at: http://bit.ly/1yVxm4K.


10. Id.

11. April Zeoli and Daniel Webster, “Eects of domestic violence policies, alcohol taxes and police stang levels on intimate partner homicide in large Ucities,” Journal of Injury Prevention, 2010, available at http://1.usa.gov/1IqT58h.

12. 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8),(9); NRS § 202.360(1)(d).

13. Nevada courts issue two types of protection orders: temporary orders, which last for up to 30 days and can be granted without notice to theadverse party, and extended orders, which must be preceded by a hearing at which both parties can participate and, once issued, can last for up toone year.


15. 2015 NV SB 175.

16. Two pieces of legislation were enacted in 2015 concerning rearm possession by abusers under extended protection orders. SB 175 added aprohibition against possession of guns by convicted abusers, and barring subsequent purchase or acquisition of guns by anyone under an extendeprotection order. SB 240 added a prohibition against possession of guns by anyone prohibited under federal law. This includes abusers underextended protection orders in Nevada, if the victim was a current or former spouse, co-parent, or cohabitant, but not if the victim was a datingpartner.

17. Among the cases excluded were those in which the perpetrator shot but did not kill their intimate partner (although others may have been killed inthe incident); the identity of the shooter could not be determined based on a search of all available information; the victim was shot but the gunshowound was not the cause of death; the perpetrator shot the victim with a black powder rie, which is not subject to the same background checkrequirements ; the perpetrator hired a third-party to kill the intimate partner; and there was not denitive evidence that the perpetrator and thevictim were current or former intimate partners.

18. “In a comparison of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) with the study database, the SHR identied only 71.1 percent of the partnervictims and could at best identify only 26.7 percent of the victims other than partners. Intimate homicides involving multiple victims wereunderreported in the SHR. Cases involving ex-boyfriend perpetrators were reported as partner homicides less often in the SHR than other intimaterelationships”; see L. Langford, N. Isaac, and S. Kabat, “Homicides Related to Intimate Partner Violence In Massachusetts: Examining CaseAscertainment and Validity of the SHR”, 2 Homicide Studies, 353-377 (1998).

19. A comparison of the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) and the CDC National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) in 2008-2012 shows that theSHR reported 98% of female rearm homicides included in the NVSS.

NOTES

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http://every.tw/1fmRnLIhttp://bit.ly/1mdcSBIhttp://1.usa.gov/1zgqF0lhttp://bit.ly/1yVxm4Khttp://every.tw/1fmRnLIhttp://1.usa.gov/1IqT58hhttp://every.tw/1fmRnLIhttp://every.tw/1fmRnLIhttp://1.usa.gov/1IqT58hhttp://every.tw/1fmRnLIhttp://bit.ly/1yVxm4Khttp://1.usa.gov/1zgqF0lhttp://bit.ly/1mdcSBIhttp://every.tw/1fmRnLI


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20. Janice Roehl, Ph.D., Chris O’Sullivan, Ph.D., Daniel Webster, ScD, and Jacquelyn Campbell, Ph. D, “Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment ValidatioStudy,” Doc. No. 209731 (2005).

21. In one additional incident, the perpetrator fatally stabbed his 3-year-old daughter.

22. Dube, Shanta R., Robert F. Anda, Vincent J. Felitti, Valerie J. Edwards, and David F. Williamson. 2002. “Exposure to Abuse, Neglect, and HouseholdDysfunction among Adults Who Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence as Children: Implications for Health and Social Services.” Violence and Victims 1(1): 3–17. Edleson, Jerey L. 1999. “Children’s Witnessing of Adult Domestic Violence.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 14 (8). jiv.sagepub.com: 839–

23. State of Nevada v. White, No. C-12-286357-1 (EDCR 2015).

24. Everytown analysis of FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2008-2012, available at: http://bit.ly/1yVxm4K. Median age of gun homicide perpetratorthe United States during this period was 26 years of age.

25. One suicide was attributed to a fatal drug overdose.

26. Here we assume domestic violence to be in accord with Nevada’s denition.

27. Clark County has the largest population of all counties in Nevada, with nearly 2 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2010).

28. Transcript of police interview.

29. Written interview with Everytown, January 9, 2016.

30. Phone interview with Everytown, January 5, 2016.

31. Id.

32. Castelan, A., “Victim’s mother said daughter dated murder suspect,” KSNV News, Jul. 25, 2014, available at: http://bit.ly/1PmMUCT.

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LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 11, 2010

Twenty-three-year-old Gregg Thomasfatally shot his ex-girlfriend, MariamSarkisian 22, and Mariam’s mother,Anoush Sarkisian, 50, before fatallyshooting himself. At the time of theincident, Thomas and Mariam wereinvolved in a custody dispute over theirone-year-old daughter. Thomas had goneto the Sarkisians’ home and demanded tosee their daughter; when Mariam refused

to let him in and threatened to call thepolice, he kicked open the door and shother. Thomas then went into the livingroom and shot Anoush before goingoutside and fatally shooting himself in thefront yard. The couple’s child was in thehome at the time of the shooting but wasnot physically harmed. Mariam’s sistercontacted police after hearing gunshotsand seeing her sister on the oor insidethe residence. There is no evidence thatThomas was prohibited from possessingrearms.


Twenty-eight-year-old Keith Toten shotand killed his 20-year-old ancée, AnjelicaFernandez. Several weeks later, during astando with police at his apartmentcomplex, Toten fatally shot himself. Threedays later, police received an anonymoustip about the whereabouts of Anjelica’sbody and implicating Toten in her death;police discovered her body in a stolen car.Toten was prohibited from possessingrearms: in 2002, he was convicted ofpossession of a stolen vehicle, a felony. In

2004, he was convicted of felony burglary,felony possession of stole property, andtwo counts of felony possession of astolen vehicle. And in 2009, he wasconvicted of a domestic violencemisdemeanor (battery).

LAS VEGAS - MARCH 25, 2010

At approximately 5:45 a.m., 22-year-oldBrittney Lavoll arrived for work at a Jack inthe Box restaurant. As she got out of hercar, she was approached by 26-year-old

Kevin Gipson, a man she had previouslydated and with whom she had twochildren. Gipson approached Lavoll frombehind and the two struggled. Brit tneyscreamed for help before Gipson shot herin the head at close range with a.25-caliber handgun. Brittney waspronounced dead at a local hospital. Inthe course of the police investigation,numerous parties said that Gipson alsohad a history of violence against Brittney.A babysitter for Brit tney’s three children

attested to a violent relationship betweenthe two. Gipson ed the scene on foot,but under questioning by the police thefollowing day, he confessed to the crime.At the time of the homicide, Gipson had acriminal history that prohibited him frompossessing rearms: in 2003 and 2005,he pleaded guilty to misdemeanordomestic violence, and in 2006 he wasfound guilty of felony robbery. Brittney ’smother Mechele reported that Gipsonhad threatened to shoot Brittney onprevious occasions. Gipson told policethat he traded cash and marijuana for the

handgun the day before the shooting inan unlicensed sale from a friend. In 2011,Gipson pleaded guilty to murder with theuse of a deadly weapon for shootingBrittney.

NORTH LAS VEGAS - APRIL 26, 2010

Thirty-ve-year-old Nashun Lomax shotand killed his 31-year-old girlfriendTamequa Williams in their residencebefore shooting and killing himself.Shortly before the incident, the couplewas ghting in their bedroom; Tamequa’s15-year-old daughter and 2-week-olddaughter, and Lomax’s 12-year-old sonwere also home at the time. Alarmed bythe argument, Tamequa’s 15-year-olddaughter called the police, but when theyarrived Tamequa told her daughter not toanswer the door. The police triedunsuccessfully to make contact by phonewith anyone inside the house beforedeparting from the residence. Shortlyafter, the 15-year-old daughter returnedto her room and, according to astatement to police, heard a “pow” and

smelled smoke. Lomax’s 12-year-old sokicked open the locked door to themaster bedroom and discovered Lomaand Tamequa, both deceased. Whenpolice arrived, the children were outsidof the home and visibly distraught. Thepolice found Tamequa on the bed withgunshot injuries to the head, neck, andhand, and Lomax on the oor next to tbed with a self-inicted gunshot woundLomax had an extensive criminal histothat prohibited him from possessing

rearms: in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, an2006, he was found guilty of a domestiviolence misdemeanor (battery), andTamequa was the victim in at least threof these charges. In the 2002 incident,Lomax strangled, hit, and threatened t

“have something done” to Tamequa. In2008, Lomax pleaded guilty to batteryconstituting domestic violence, andpossession of a controlled substance,both felonies. He was arrested at leasttwo other times for felony domesticbattery. In 1991, Lomax was charged wattempted murder in juvenile court for

shooting an individual in the back of thhead, though the disposition of the casis unclear. The police had also been cato the residence several times in the pfor reports of a domestic dispute.According to media reports, Lomax hadrecently been arrested for assaultingTamequa and was released from jail justhree days prior to the incident. He usea Colt .38-caliber Special revolver tocommit the crime, but it is unclear howobtained it.

LAS VEGAS - AUGUST 9, 2010 Seventy-four-year-old Phil Testa fatallyshot his wife, Angelina Testa, 79, at thehome. He then called police to report the had killed Angelina and that heintended to kill himself. When the policarrived at the Testas’ home, ocers caPhil and tried negotiating with him tosurrender. Phil hung up and shot himseshortly thereafter. There is no evidencethat Phil was prohibited from possessirearms.

APPENDIX: FIVE YEARS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

GUN HOMICIDES IN NEVADAJanuary 2010—December 2014

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LAS VEGAS - AUGUST 16, 2010

Fifty-year-old Susan Kapfer fatally shother husband, Michael Kapfer, 55, in hisroom at Valley Hospital, and then fatallyshot herself. A nurse outside of Michael’s

room heard the gunshots and discoveredthe couple. Michael had been in thehospital for several weeks for anunspecied illness. The couple had beenmarried for 32 years. After the shooting,the Kapfers’ 27-year-old son Kit found asuicide note in Susan’s car, detailing hergrief over Michael’s illness and herfrustration with the lack of support fromthe hospital sta. There is no evidencethat Susan was prohibited frompossessing rearms.


Twenty-year-old Jose Vergara-Rodriguezfatally shot his 19-year-old girlfriend EdithCorona at her residence before fatallyshooting himself. A boy and girl, bothunder the age of ve, were at home at thetime of the shooting but not physicallyharmed; their relationship to Edith andVergara-Rodriguez was not made public.Vergara-Rodriguez’s father discoveredthe deceased couple at the home andcalled police. There is no evidence thatVergara-Rodriguez was prohibited frompossessing rearms.


Seventy-four-year-old Donald Romanofatally shot his wife, Barbara Romano, 74,before fatally shooting himself in theirhome with a .38-caliber revolver. Ahousekeeper found the couple in theirbedroom. The media reported that thecouple were involved in the real estatebusiness and had been nanciallycrippled by the recession. The couple’sdaughter Maria Romano told the mediathat their nancial issues had causedthem stress. There is no evidence thatDonald had a criminal record that wouldprohibit him from possessing rearms.

MESQUITE - JANUARY 26, 2011

Fifty-two-year-old Donna Fairchild, aMesquite Councilwoman, used a Glock9mm handgun to fatally shoot herhusband, Bill Fairchild, 62. According tomedia reports, she then wrote a suicidenote and a letter to her mother, droppedo a box of items for her mother at afriend’s house, and returned home,

where she called law enforcement andtold them that she was sorry and that shewas going to kill herself. When ocersarrived at the house minutes later, theyfound the Donna and Bill in the backbedroom of their home, both dead fromgunshot wounds. Donna and Bill hadbeen married for 21 years. They movedto Nevada in 1999 after retiring from theDenver Police Department. At the time ofthe shooting, Donna was running formayor, but was facing disciplinary actionfrom the City Council due to accusationsof violating the city’s Code of Conduct byallegedly submitting false expenses forreimbursement. Donna had decided toresign from the City Council and had lether colleagues know the night before theincident. There is no evidence that Donnawas prohibited from possessing rearms.

ELKO - APRIL 30, 2011

On April 30, 2011, shortly after 2 p.m.,53-year-old David Heinzig arrived at theSmith Power Products oce building, theworkplace of his ex-wife Mary Inman, 42.He broke into Mary’s locked oce andshot her multiple times at close rangewith a 12-gauge shotgun. He then ed inhis vehicle and was found a few hourslater in a motel room in North Las Vegaswith a fatal gunshot wound. Heinzig had a

criminal record that prohibited him frompossessing rearms: in 1982, he pleadedguilty to felonious grand larceny inOklahoma. Heinzig’s and Mary’srelationship, which had ended in divorcein November 2010, had grownincreasingly volatile over time. Insubsequent interviews with police, familymembers described Heinzig’s violenceagainst Mary, detailing many incidentsincluding one in which Mary lockedherself in a car as Heinzig stood outsideof it, threatening her with a gun. Mary wassuciently worried about Heinzig’s access

to his gun that she often tried to hide itfrom him. Beginning in the spring of 2010,Mary took out a series of temporaryrestraining orders against Heinzig, whichhe violated on at least one occasion bytrying to contact Mar y and to gain accessto her residence. In February of that year,Mary took out the last temporaryrestraining order against him, which wasstill in eect at the time of the shooting,having been extended several times dueto diculty in scheduling the hearingnecessary to issue an extendedprotection order. Heinzig was prohibited

under state and federal law from buyinor possessing rearms due to hisprevious criminal convictions. None ofthe temporary orders required Heinzigturn in his guns. Had an extended ordebeen issued, the judge could haverequired Heinzig to turn in any guns in possession. However, the temporaryorder provided no such opportunity.

SILVER SPRINGS - JUNE 6, 2011

Thirty-three-year-old Leland Scott Lawfatally shot his girlfriend, 31-year-old TiLee Shine, before he called the sheri’sdepartment, confessed to the crime, aindicated that he was going to shoothimself. Lawson also reported that theinfant son was in the home but physicaunharmed, and that an ocer shouldcome to the home to retrieve the babyWhen police arrived, they found Tia’sbody on the living room oor next toLawson, who had a self-inicted gunshwound to the head but was still alive.Their son was found sleeping in his cribThe couple’s other child, a ve-year-olddaughter, was at school at the time of tincident. Lawson died from his injuriesseveral days later at a Reno hospital. Atthe time of the shooting, Lawson had acriminal record that prohibited him fropossessing rearms: in 1998, he pleadguilty to use of a controlled substance,felony. According to the police report, thandgun used in shooting belonged to

LAS VEGAS - OC TOBER 24, 2011

According to court documents led byprosecutors, forty-seven-year-old ElisaMartinez fatally shot her boy friend,Gustavo Guzman, 35, during an argumin her home. Martinez’s daughter, herdaughter’s boyfriend, and two of herdaughter’s three children were presentthe time of the shooting, but were not

physically harmed. When law enforcemarrived at the scene, they found Gustavdead at the front step of the apartmenMartinez and Gustavo had been involvin a relationship for two years, which woften tumultuous, and Martinez claimethat she was afraid of Gustavo and upsabout his substance abuse. Policearrested Martinez and charged her witmurder, and in 2012 she was convictedvoluntary manslaughter with a deadlyweapon. A search of criminal recordsyielded no evidence that Martinez wasprohibited from possessing rearms.

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LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 24, 2011

Thirty-ve-year-old Ilian Mizodearmasshot his 23-year-old girlfriend, YaniriRosales-Gamboa, several times in thehead, killing her. After shooting her, he cut

her throat before fatally shooting himself.After a neighbor reported that she hadheard gunshots, law enforcement arrivedand found Yaniri lying in the front yard ofthe couple’s home, dead, andMizodearmas alive nearby, with aself-inicted gunshot wound to the head.He was transported to a local hospitalwhere he later died from his injuries.Although Mizodearmas had a criminalrecord, he was not prohibited frompossessing rearms: in 2007, he pleadedguilty to resisting a public ocer, amisdemeanor. He was also charged with

battery on an ocer, a grossmisdemeanor, but the charge wasdismissed.

TOPAZ RANCH ESTATES - NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Thirty-eight-year-old Jeanine MonaEscandon fatally shot her boyfriend,59-year-old Norman Welch, and then edto California, where she wasapprehended two weeks after theshooting. Norman’s ex-wife, with whomhe was still friendly, became worriedwhen she did not hear from him. Shewent to Norman’s residence and foundhim dead. Escandon originally claimedthat she and Norman had argued, andthat she traveled to Los Angeles to getaway from him and that he was alivewhen she left. But upon furtherquestioning she confessed to shootinghim, claiming it had been an accident.Escandon told authorities that shepanicked, grabbed Norman’s car keys anddrove to Los Angeles, tossing the gun outthe window at some point along the way.Escandon later recanted her statementthat the shooting was accidental, andpled guilty to rst-degree murder. Courtdocuments indicate that Escandon usedNorman’s own 9mm handgun to kill him.There is no evidence that Escandon wasprohibited from possessing rearms atthe time of the homicide.

ELKO - NOVEMBER 11, 2011

Forty-eight-year-old Kurt Stefka fatallyshot his 42-year-old wife Stacie Stefkabefore shooting and killing himself. Kurtcalled law enforcement and told them

that his wife Stacie had been shot. When

law enforcement arrived, they foundStacie with a gunshot wound to the lefttemple and Kurt lying over Stacie’s chest,holding a Silver Colt Delta Elite .45-caliberhandgun in his right hand, and badlyinjured from a self-inicted gunshotwound to his right temple. Policetransported him to a local hospital, wherehe died hours later. Law enforcementfound a note from Kurt at the scene inwhich he said he was tired of arguing withStacie. The couple were co-founders ofthe Ruby Mountain Film Festival. There isno evidence that Kurt was prohibitedfrom possessing rearms. In 2000, Stacietook out a temporary restraining orderagainst Kurt, citing both physical abuseand death threats, but it was dissolvedtwo weeks later.

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14, 2011

Fifty-year-old Tracy Kauman fatally shothis 36-year-old ex-boyfriend Phillip Wellsat a bar in Las Vegas where Wells wasworking the night shift. Kauman andPhillip had met in Knoxville and had datedfor several years, before Phillip ended therelationship and moved to Nevada.Kauman, who continued to live inTennessee, ew to Nevada the weekbefore the shooting. He told detectiveshe had brought a .40-caliber Glock

handgun on the airplane in his checkedluggage to “scare” Phillip. On the night ofthe shooting, he entered the bar carryingthe handgun, chased Phillip through thebar and into a storage room, and shothim multiple times in his head and chest.Kauman then ed the bar, disposed ofhis gun and clothes in a hotel room, andwent to the airport in an at tempt to eethe state. Before he could board his plane,police arrested him. There is no evidencethat Kauman was prohibited frompossessing rearms. He pleaded guilty toPhillip’s murder and was sentenced to life

in prison with the possibility of paroleafter 20 years.


Forty-eight-year-old Jesus “Jesse” Saldivarstabbed and fatally shot his ex-girlfriendVeronica Erazo-Alderado, 30, and fatallystabbed their three-year-old daughter. Hethen drove their bodies in his car to aremote area, where he shot and killedhimself. Veronica’s 13-year-old sonbecame concerned when his mother didnot return home. The son called

Veronica’s current boyfr iend, who

subsequently alerted the police. Policediscovered the bodies in Veronica’s carseveral hours later. Veronica and Saldivhad dated for six years and hadseparated a few months prior to theshooting. Although Saldivar had a crimhistory at the t ime of the shooting, theis no evidence he was prohibited frompossessing rearms. In July 2011, Saldivwas named as a suspect in a domesticviolence incident report led by VeroniIn the report, she said that Saldivar beaher and repeatedly slammed her headagainst the ground outside of their homwhile Sabrina watched from the car.During the beating, Veronica beggedSaldivar not to kill her. It is not clearwhether an arrest was subsequentlymade. Police reports show that the gun

used in the shooting was rst purchasein California in 1971, and had not beenreported stolen. It is unclear how Saldicame to obtain the weapon.


According to court documents led byprosecutors, twenty-nine-year-old JoseAntonio Rodriguez shot his 22-year-oldgirlfriend Christina Gris in the faceduring an altercation inside the coupleapartment, killing her. A neighbor told lenforcement she had heard Rodriguez

screaming while he was attempting tomove Christina’s body. Rodriguez and acompanion dragged Christina’s body tothe parking lot of the apartment compand attempted to hide it behind someshrubbery. According to police reportsRodriguez called his cousin and told himthat he had been threatening Christinawith a gun when he accidentally shot hThe cousin reported the incident to powho responded to the scene and foundbloody trail from the apartment leadinto Christina’s body. They also located asuitcase near the crime scene containi

a .357-caliber Smith & Wesson revolverblood, and a utility bill bearingRodriguez’s name and address. Policelocated Rodriguez several hours after tincident hiding in a vehicle nearby andarrested him. At the time of the shootinhe had a criminal history whichprohibited him from possessing rearmin 2001 he pleaded guilty to felonypossession of a controlled substance ain 2002, he pleaded guilty to aggravaterobbery, a felony. According to courtdocuments, the weapon used in thehomicides had been reported stolen fr

a motor home. On October 17, 2013,

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Rodriguez pleaded guilty to voluntarymanslaughter with use of a deadlyweapon and was sentenced to up to 26years’ imprisonment with eligibility forparole.

HENDERSON - APRIL 11, 2012

Fifty-one-year-old Curt Jillson fatally shothis wife, Kai Jillson, 61. He then called thepolice to report the crime, and told themhe was going to kill himself beforehanging up the phone. When lawenforcement arrived at the residencethey found the couple’s bodies inside,and their two dogs dead in the backyardswimming pool. According to the incidentreport, Curt was found with a 9mm Glockin his hand, while several other rearms

and a large amount of ammunition werealso recovered from the house. Neighborstold police they knew Curt to have a badtemper. One neighbor told police thatCurt was a “doomsday prepper” and hadstockpiled large quantities of weapons,food, water, and other supplies. Theneighbor also reported that Curt had toldhim that if “anything ever happened hewould kill his wife, his dogs, and thenhimself.” There is no evidence that Curtwas prohibited from possessing rearms.

RENO - MAY 19, 2012

Sixty-one-year-old Harry Grund shot andkilled his estranged wife Pamela Grund,57, at their residence before non-fatallyshooting himself. Harry then set re tothe residence and died from acombination of smoke inhalation and theself-inicted gunshot wound. Pamela hadrecently moved out of the home theyshared, but had come to check-in afterHarry told her that some pipes neededrepair. One of the Grunds’ daughters,Janine, repor ted to police that in recentyears her father had become increasingly

abusive towards her mother and thatPamela had recently moved to Janine’shouse to get away from Harry. There is noevidence that Harry had a criminal recordthat would prohibit him from possessingrearms.

RENO - JULY 9, 2012

Thirty-two-year-old Jerey Rodriguezfatally shot his wife, Korinda, 29, at theside of a road. Earlier that morning, thecouple had gotten into an argument, andKorinda threatened to leave Jerey and to

take away their two daughters, a

three-year-old and a four-month-old.They continued to ght as they left homein separate vehicles, but Jerey followedKorinda in his minivan and ran her o theroad. Then, using one of the two guns hehad in the glove compartment of his car,he shot her twice in the chest. Twovehicles stopped to help, mistakenlythinking the couple had been in anaccident. Jerey shot at both vehicles.According to court documents, he edthe scene and later returned, where hewas arrested. Jerey had previously beenconvicted of multiple felonies, whichprohibited him from possessing rearmsunder both federal and Nevada law. In2004 he pleaded guilty to attemptedtheft; in 2006, to burglary; and in 2008 tosexually motivated coercion of his11-year-old sister. Jerey purchased bothguns in unlicensed sales—one from hisneighbor and one from his neighbors’son. For shooting Korinda and at thewitnesses, Jerey was found guilty ofrst-degree murder, three counts ofassault with a deadly weapon, and beinga felon in possession of a rearm. He wassentenced to life in prison with thepossibility of parole.

LAS VEGAS - JULY 27, 2012

Forty-four-year-old Troy White shot and

killed his estranged wife Echo Lucas, 29,and shot and injured Lucas’s boyfr iend, Joseph Averman, 44. White then ed toArizona, where police apprehended himseveral days later. White and Echo hadthree children together, and Echo hadfour other children from previousrelationships. Echo had asked White for adivorce, but he would not agree to it andbecame enraged when Echo starteddating Joseph. He sent Echo and Josephharassing text messages and phone calls,threatening Joseph that, “If you don’t stayaway, I’m going to..kill you.” According to

court records, shortly before the shooting,White posted on Facebook, “If you lovesomeone, set them free. If they don’tcome back, hunt them down and killthem.” On the day of the shooting, Whitecame to Echo’s house, asked to speakwith Echo, and then shot and injured Joseph in the abdomen and arm andfatally shot Echo in the torso. Five ofEcho’s children were present at the timeof the shooting, but were not physicallyharmed. White was trying to conne thechildren to one room and prevent Josephfrom calling for help when one of the

children escaped from the house and ran

to a neighbor’s residence and reportedwhat had happened. White ed the scebut later turned himself in to lawenforcement in Arizona. There is noevidence that White was prohibited fropossessing rearms. In 2015, White waconvicted of rst-degree murder andattempted murder, among other charg

SILVER SPRINGS - JULY 30, 2012

Thirty-four-year-old Timothy RayPennington fatally shot his girlfriend,20-year-old Amber Shay Jenkins. Threedays after she was last seen, Amber’s bowas found in a remote area at the end ostreet. That evening, law enforcementmade contact with Pennington, but thenext morning his father reported him

missing. Approximately six days later,police found Pennington in an abandonbusiness in a neighboring town, dead ofself-inicted gunshot wound. The couplhad lived together in Silver Springs withtheir one-year-old daughter. Penningtonwas prohibited from possessing rearmin 2000, he pleaded guilty to second-degree kidnapping with use of deadlyweapon, a felony, for kidnapping andattempting to shoot and kill his then-wif

RENO - NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Forty-eight-year-old Richard Kelsay fatashot his estranged wife, 37-year-old AnKelsay, before fatally shooting himself itheir home. Anna’s boyfriend, Isaac Shidiscovered the bodies when he came tcheck on Anna after she missed work.According to Shin, the couple hadseparated months before the incidentand Anna was in the process of gettingdivorce. Police reports show that Richaleft a suicide note in which he apologizfor his actions and noted that his

“depression is too much.” Lawenforcement determined that Richard

used his own 9mm handgun to kill Annand then used a .40-caliber handgun,which he had given to Anna as a gift, tokill himself. There is no evidence thatRichard was prohibited from possessinrearms.


Eighty-six-year-old Cliord Huss fatallyshot his wife Dorothy Huss, 87, beforefatally shooting himself in their home.Their son-in-law discovered the couplewhen he came to their home to help ca

for them, as he did several times a wee

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Dorothy was dead but Cliord was stillbreathing and clutching a rie to his chest.He died at a local hospital a short timelater. There is no evidence that Cliordhad a criminal record that would prohibithim from possessing rearms.

LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 7, 2012

According to court documents led byprosecutors, forty-two-year-old RobertBrown, Jr. fatally shot his 29-year-oldex-girlfriend Nichole Nick, and shot andinjured Nichole’s mother, Esther Maestas,in Nichole’s apartment. Nichole’sthree-year-old niece was also in the homeat the time of the shooting, but the childwas not physically harmed. Nichole andBrown had been dating for approximately

six months, but the night before theshooting Nichole had ended therelationship. Neighbors later told policethat they heard arguing in the hoursbefore the shooting. The night of theshooting, Brown broke through a windowof the apartment, shot Esther once, andchased Nichole into a bedroom, where heshot and stabbed her multiple times.When Esther entered the bedroom to helpNichole, Brown was pointing the gun atNichole’s niece. Esther and Nicholebegged him not to shoot the child. Brownthen shot both Esther and Nichole again. A

bullet was found lodged in the niece’s bed,but the girl was not physically injured.When law enforcement arrived at thescene, Esther was lying on the living roomoor and told the ocer, “Robert did it,Robert did it.” Brown ed to California,where he was apprehended in 2014before being extradited to Nevada.

Brown had a criminal history whichprohibited him from possessing rearms:in 1998, he was convicted of carjacking, afelony, and that same year, he wasconvicted of felony domestic violence afterhe beat his former wife with a broomstick,abducted her, and stabbed her in the neck.A neighbor found a 9mm Smith andWesson handgun in a gutterapproximately one half-mile from Nichole’sapartment. Forensic investigators wereable to connect cartridge casings found inNichole’s apartment to the handgun.According to police, the gun was rstpurchased in California in 1988 by anindividual who died in 2010; it is unclearhow Brown obtained the rearm. Brownwas charged with murder and two countsof attempted murder, among other

charges. Brown pleaded not guilty to all

charges; as of March 2016, the case is stillpending.


In front of hundreds of witnesses,

31-year-old Edward C. Brandt used a.38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver toshoot and kill his ex-girlfriend JessicaKenny, 30, at her workplace in theExcalibur Hotel and Casino, before fatallyshooting himself. Jessica and Brandt hadpreviously dated and lived together in LasVegas. After the relationship ended,Brandt moved back to Illinois. Family andfriends reported to the police that therelationship had been violent, and thatBrandt was “obsessed” with Jessica. Twodays prior to the shooting, Brandt hadchecked into the Luxor Hotel and Casino,which is connected to the Excalibur bywalkways. Jessica was working at theconcierge desk of the Excalibur at thetime of the incident. Surveillance videoshows that Brandt walked past the deskseveral times before approaching thedesk and ring one round at Jessica,which knocked her onto the oor. Hethen stood over her and red severalmore rounds before fatally shootinghimself. According to law enforcement,Brandt had a history of mental illness andhad received medical treatment for them,

but there is no evidence that Brandt wasprohibited from possessing rearms.According to law enforcement, he lawfullyowned the gun, which was registered inhis name.

WASHOE VALLEY - DECEMBER 29, 2012

Thirty-one-year-old Shaunna Dodd fatallyshot her husband and father of her twochildren, Brad Dodd, 37, while he slept intheir home. According to police reports,Shaunna had been having an aair withher 18-year-old cousin by marriage, as

well as with another man. She hadpreviously attempted to kill Brad severaltimes by poisoning him and by oering topay others to commit the crime. On thenight of the shooting she took their t wochildren to Brad’s parents’ house. Herniece was still present in the home at thetime of the shooting but physicallyunharmed. Washoe County Sheri’sdeputies were dispatched to a report of

“trouble unknown” at a residence andfound Brad dead inside the home.Shaunna initially claimed that twounknown males shot Brad in a home

invasion, but law enforcement later

determined that Shaunna had shot Braand asked a friend to hide a bagcontaining the gun and other evidence the murder. There is no evidence thatShaunna was prohibited from possessirearms. In 2013, Shaunna was convictof rst-degree murder.

BOULDER CITY - JANUARY 21, 2013

Fifty-two-year-old Lt. Hans Walters of tLas Vegas Metropolitan PoliceDepartment fatally shot his wife, KathryWalters, 46, a former police ocer, befofatally shooting their ve-year-old son. then called 911, told the dispatcher thahe had shot his wife in the head and kilhis son because the boy was a witnessthe crime. After alerting law enforceme

Hans set his house on re; arriving poliencountered Hans outside his home wa rearm. When police ordered him todrop the gun, he fatally shot himself. Laenforcement indicated that there wereknown prior reports of domestic violenbetween Hans and Kathryn. There is nevidence that Hans was prohibited frompossessing rearms.


Fifty-four-year-old Jim McCarty fatally shis wife, Linda McCarty, 62, her two ad

children Robert Scherrer, 41, and BonnScherrer, 38, and their dog at the homethey all shared, before shooting himselNeighbors alerted the police after heargunshots and seeing a pool of bloodseeping from the backyard patio. Whenpolice arrived, they found Jim still aliveand transported him to a hospital, whehe died. Press reports indicated that Jimhad recently been diagnosed withpancreatic cancer, and that Linda had astroke several years prior to the shootiwhich had conned her to a wheelchairneighbor noted that Jim and Robert

argued sometimes and that on oneoccasion, the police were called to thehouse due to a ght between them onthe front lawn. There is no evidence th Jim was prohibited from possessingrearms.

LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 3, 2013

According to court documents led byprosecutors, 57-year-old Keith Barlowshot and killed his ex-girlfriend DanielleWoods, 38, and her boy friend DonnieCobb, 40, in Donnie’s apartment. Barlo

and Danielle had been in an on-and-o

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relationship since 1997, and Barlow wasangry that Danielle had recently starteddating someone else. The morning of theshooting, Barlow confronted Danielle,who was in her car in an alleyway outsideof her apartment. Barlow tried to forceher into his car by holding a stun gun toher neck. When Danielle screamed,Donnie came outside. Barlow thenbrandished a handgun at Danielle andDonnie, and they ran back to theirapartment and locked the door. Barlowshouted to them through the door thathe would be back. The couple called thepolice, who responded and took a report.The police tried to locate Barlow, but wereunsuccessful. Two hours later, Barlowreturned to the apartment, k icked openthe door, and fatally shot Danielle andDonnie. At the time of the homicides,Barlow had a criminal history thatprohibited him from possessing rearms:In 1987, Barlow pleaded guilty to batterywith the use of a deadly weapon after heattacked a dierent ex-girlfriend, herboyfriend, and a three-year-old, a crimefor which he was sentenced to six years inprison. And in 1997, Barlow tried to shootDanielle, for which he was found guilty ofattempted murder. According to lawenforcement, the rearm used in theshooting belonged to Barlow’s friend.Barlow has been charged with murder

and possession of a rearm by anex-felon, among other charges; hepleaded not guilty to all charges. As ofMarch 2016, the case is still pending.

HENDERSON - MARCH 5, 2013

Fifty-four-year-old Jerey Johnson fatallyshot his ex-wife Renee Bassett, 47, in herhome, before fatally shooting himself in hiscar. Their 13-year-old son was at home atthe time of the incident, but was notphysically harmed. The boy told police thathis dad came over to talk to Renee but

shot her soon afterward; Renee yelled forher son to call 911 before she collapsed.He administered CPR on Renee before theambulance arrived, but she waspronounced dead at the scene. In a suicidenote, Johnson wrote that he was angryabout the couple’s recent divorce.Henderson Police stated that there was nohistory of domestic violence calls involvingJohnson and Renee. Renee’s motherreported that prior to the divorce thecouple had one violent altercation in whichRenee barricaded herself and at least oneof her sons in a bathroom for protection

against Johnson. There is no evidence that

Johnson has a criminal record that wouldprohibit him from possessing rearms.

LAS VEGAS - MARCH 29, 2013

Thirty-two-year-old Slavisa Gogic fatallyshot his wife Danijela Gogic, 32, and shotand injured Dario Dimac, 30, before fatallyshooting himself in the apartment heshared with Danijela. The relationshipbetween Dario and Danijela was notmade public. Police report that Slavisacame home and found Danijela and Darioinside. When Slavisa started shooting,Dario escaped from the apartment by jumping from a second-oor balcony intobushes, where he was later discovered,injured, by police. There is no evidencethat Slavisa had a criminal history that

would have prohibited him frompossessing rearms.

NORTH LAS VEGAS - APRIL, 6, 2013

According to court documents led byprosecutors, Air Force Sergeant JaromBoyes, 41, fatally shot his wife of fouryears, Air Force Sta Sergeant MelissaBoyes, 24, in their apartment. The couplehad returned home after a night outtogether and were arguing when Jaromslammed Melissa’s head through a wall.Melissa ran to the bedroom, locked the

door, and called a friend to ask for help.Armed with her own handgun, Melissaunlocked the bedroom door. Prosecutorsallege that Jarom grabbed the gun fromMelissa and fatally shot her in the chest.When ocers arrived at the scene, theyfound Jarom administering CPR to his wife,who was lying on the bedroom oor andnot breathing. Jarom initially told theocers that Melissa had killed herself.Law enforcement administered apolygraph test, and when Jarom failed, heconfessed to shooting Melissa. There isno evidence that Jarom is prohibited from

possessing rearms. Jarom was chargedwith rst-degree murder; he pleaded notguilty and, as of March 2016, the case isstill pending.

LAS VEGAS - JUNE 1, 2013

According to court documents led byprosecutors, 38-year-old Manuel Mata IIIreportedly shot and killed his 43-year-oldgirlfriend Maria Flores, with whom heresided, and her 17-year-old daughter,and shot and injured her four-year-olddaughter in the neck in their residence.

Mata then shot himself, though hesurvived. According to police records,Mata shot Maria rst, and then went inthe bedroom where her children weresleeping and shot them, before shootinhimself. Mata’s 18-year-old daughter walso home at the time of the incident bwas not physically injured; awoken by tsound of gunshots, she hid in a bedroocloset and called her paternal grandfatfor help, who in turn called the police.When law enforcement arrived at thescene, Mata pointed a shotgun at ocebut the police were able to wrest the gufrom him. Members of the Flores familytold detectives that Maria and Mata habeen in a dating relationship for threeyears, and that it was often violent. Thestated that Mata would become jealouand accuse Maria of cheating. He also hrecent nancial troubles and had starteto drink heavily. Several weeks prior tothe incident, Maria threatened to moveout of the residence, but Mata convinceher to stay; law enforcement foundseveral packed suitcases in the home athe time of the incident. Mata had acriminal history but it did not prohibit hfrom possessing rearms: in 2009, he wcharged with domestic battery but thecase was dismissed. Mata used two guin the shooting: a Smith & Wesson

.40-caliber semi-automatic handgun a

Hawk Industries .12-gauge pump actionshotgun. According to court documentboth rearms had been rst purchasedby an individual other than Mata, who lthem at Mata’s home so that he could

“watch” them for the owners. Police alsofound a signicant amount of cocaine ithe home, and 12 additional rearms—none of which were registered in Mata’name—three of which police determinhad been reported stolen. Mata wasarrested and charged with two counts murder with a deadly weapon, with oncount of attempted murder with a dead

weapon, and with possession of a stolegun. As of March 2016, the case is stillpending.


Twenty-ve-year-old Angel Omar Cruzkidnapped his 22-year-old ex-girlfriendSinthia Stephanie Cruz from her home,drove to the desert, and fatally shot hebefore shooting and killing himself.Sinthia had recently left Angel. The twohad been together for nine years and hthree children together. According to th

police report, in the hours prior to the

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shooting, Sinthia had called her mother tolet her know she was with Angel, who wasgoing to give her some money for anupcoming trip to California with their kids.Sometime after that call, Sinthia’sroommate looked out her window andsaw Angel force Sinthia into his car anddrive away. After she was kidnapped,Sinthia began calling her motherrepeatedly. Sinthia told her mom shewanted to speak to her children and “besure they were ok” and asked her mom to

“please take care of [her] children.” Whenher mother asked her why she needed totake care of the children, Sinthia said,

“Angel has a pistol and is threatening mewith it.” Sinthia’s mother called the policeand an ocer was able to speak withSinthia on the phone. Sinthia stated thatshe was going to heaven and that Angelwas upset that her mother had called thepolice, before the phone line went dead.Police began a search for Sinthia, and afew hours later, found Angel’s car, whichhad been set on re, with Sinthia andAngel dead inside. There is no evidencethat Angel was prohibited frompossessing rearms.

LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Fifty-one-year-old Nicholas Lanza fatallyshot his estranged wife, Megan Lanza, 38,

in her home before shooting and killinghimself. Law enforcement discovered thecouple after receiving a call from Nicholas’ex-wife, who was concerned about hiswelfare. Nicholas and Megan had beenmarried since 2008 and had no children.Witnesses and court records indicate thatNicholas had become increasingly violentover the course of the marriage. Aneighbor reported that a year prior to theshooting, someone driving a car similar tothe model Nicholas owned rammed apickup truck into Megan’s garage doorand shot into the side of her house. Six

months prior to the shooting, Megan hadled for divorce. Another individualreported that Nicholas showed up toMegan’s place of work a few days prior tothe shooting with a bouquet of owers,but became angry when she refused tocome out to see him.

Nicholas was prohibited from possessingrearms: in 1981 he pleaded guilty tosecond-degree attempted robbery, afelony, in New York, and in 2008, he wasconvicted of a domestic violencemisdemeanor. According to police reports,the rearm Nicholas used to kill Megan

was reported stolen in 2008. It is unclearhow he obtained it.


Thirty-two-year-old Jacob P. Burkett useda shotgun to kill his 31-year-old girlfriendDaniela Gastelum-Gutierrez in their homebefore shooting and killing himself. Policereceived a phone call from a girl sayingthat her mother needed help. When theyarrived at the residence, they found thehome barricaded. Once inside, theyfound Burkett and Daniela dead, and theirdaughter, who was not physically harmed.There is no evidence that Burkett had acriminal record that prohibited him frompossessing rearms.

CARSON CITY – JANUARY 19, 2014

According to court documents led byprosecutors, eighty-eight-year-old WilliamDresser entered a hospital and shot hiswife of 63 years, Frances Dresser, 86,once in the chest. William then attemptedto shoot himself, but the gun jammed.Frances died three days later from herinjuries. Two weeks prior to the shooting,Frances had suered a fall at home andhit her chin, causing her to becomepermanently paralyzed. William said thatafter she had received the prognosis, his

wife told him that she no longer wantedto live and had begged to die. The nightbefore the shooting, William purchased.22-caliber handgun at a pawnshop andfour bullets, but his gun jammed when hetried to kill himself. When lawenforcement and medical sta came intothe hospital room after he shot his wife,he did not threaten them and insteadbegged them that they let her diebecause that is what she wanted. In January 2014, the District Attorneycharged William with open murder withuse of a deadly weapon; but in June 2015,

the District Attorney dismissed chargesagainst William, citing lack of malice. Thereis no evidence that William had a criminalhistory that would have prohibitedpossession of a rearm.

HENDERSON - JANUARY 25, 2014

Forty-ve-year-old Wade Adams fatallyshot his wife, Wendy Whitmore, 39, intheir home, before taking a fatal overdoseof drugs. Adams’s teenage daughterbecame concerned about her father’swell-being after she woke up in the

morning to nd that he had left $1,000cash and his car keys at her home. Wheshe drove to his residence she found thdeceased couple. Wendy’s body had bemanipulated to make it appear as if shehad killed herself. In subsequentinterviews by law enforcement, familymembers noted that the couple foughtfrequently, though there is no evidenceany formal reports of domestic v iolencmade by the couple. Adams’s ex-wifestated that he was violent during theirmarriage and would hit her. During oneincident, he stabbed her in the ear,causing her to lose hearing in that ear,and was charged with domestic violencassault, but law enforcement decided nto pursue the charges. Family memberalso claimed that Adams struggled withmental health issues and was addictedprescription drugs and alcohol. About months prior to the incident Adamsattempted to kill himself by Xanaxoverdose. There is no evidence thatAdams was prohibited from possessingrearms, and both Adams and Wendyowned rearms. Adams also had aconcealed carry permit at the time of thomicide, but his possession of gunsconcerned his family. His daughterdescribed observing bullet holes inWendy and Adams’s bedroom a fewmonths before the shooting. When she

asked Wendy about it, Wendy said thatAdams had discharged the gunaccidentally.

MINDEN - FEBRUARY 23, 2014

Fifty-year-old Tatiana Leibel fatally shother husband Harry Leibel, 64, at theirhome. Tatiana told investigators that shand her husband had been arguing in tdays before the shooting, and that herhusband shot himself two times with arie. But law enforcement laterdetermined that his injuries were not

consistent with suicide. There is noevidence that Tatiana was prohibited frpossessing rearms. In February 2015,Tatiana was convicted of second-degremurder with a rearm.

LAS VEGAS - JULY 17, 2014

According to court documents led byprosecutors, 32-year-old SamuelMcFarland drove up to the vehicle of hiex-girlfriend, Krystal McAdow, 23, wheshe was sitting with a friend outside ofgas station, and shot her through the

windshield, killing her. McFarland then

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ed the scene. He was arrested twoweeks later in California. McFarland wasprohibited from possessing rearms dueto a prior criminal history. In 2005,McFarland pleaded no contest and wasfound guilty of a domestic violencemisdemeanor (battery) against histhen-girlfriend, with whom hecohabitated at the time of the incident. In2012, he was charged with the felonycrime of battery with substantial bodilyharm, and charges were pending at thetime of the homicide. Court records showthat McFarland had also been violenttowards Krystal in the past. Several daysbefore the homicide, McFarland shot atKrystal, but she was not physically injured,in an incident that was not reported tothe police until after Krystal’s death. Afterthe shooting, police spoke with a friend ofMcFarland who described how McFarlandcarried guns and bought and sold themthrough the website Backpage.com, aclassied advertising website. The policeinvestigation did not clarify whetherMcFarland obtained the murder weaponin an unlicensed sale on that website.McFarland was charged with murder andpleaded not guilty; as of March 2016 thecase was pending.


Sixty-nine-year-old Robert Alfred Henderfatally shot his wife, Monica Horan, 59, intheir home before fatally shooting himself.A co-worker grew concerned whenMonica did not show up for work andcalled law enforcement, who discoveredtheir bodies. According to lawenforcement, Hender was suering fromseveral medical problems at the time ofthe incident. There is no evidence thatHender was prohibited from possessingrearms.

DAYTON – NOVEMBER 30, 2014

According to court documents led byprosecutors, thirty-one-year-old KristynVerdun used her own 9mm handgun toshoot and kill her husband Robert Verdun,35, in the bathroom of their residence.Two children were in the residence at thetime of the incident. Kristyn and Roberthad known each other for ten years andhad been married for four years.

According to police reports, Robert hadbeen drinking heavily that evening andwas acting belligerently towards Kristynand the children. The Lyon County DistrictAttorney’s Oce declined to prosecuteKristyn, determining that the shootingwas justiable and in the defense ofothers. There is no evidence that Kristynwas prohibited from possessing rearms.According to the police report, Kristynhad a current concealed weapons permitat the time of homicide.


Eighty-four year-old Clyde Ray used ahandgun to shoot and kill his wife MaryRay, 81, in their home before fatallyshooting himself. Two friends, unable tocontact the couple, used a key the Rayshad given them to enter the residenceand discovered the bodies. There is noevidence that Clyde was prohibited frompossessing rearms.

ELY - DECEMBER 8, 2014

Sixty-three-year-old Bruce Hendrix fatallyshot his wife, Julia Hendrix, 57, in theirresidence and set the building on re. Hethen drove to his accounting rm, wherehe also set a re. He ed to a remote area,and several days later was found in his car,dead from a self-inicted gunshot wound.Days before the incident, Julia told Bruceshe was seeking a divorce. Bruce had vechildren and Julia had four children fromprior relationships. Law enforcementindicated that there were no known priorreports of domestic violence betweenBruce and Julia. There is no evidence thatBruce was prohibited from possessingrearms.

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Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund is an independent, non-partisan,

non-prot organization dedicated to understanding and reducing gun violence in

America. We conduct groundbreaking original research, developing evidence-based

policies, and communicate this knowledge to the American public. Learn more

online at www.EverytownResearch.org.

Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence (NNADV) provides statewide

advocacy, education and support of the front-line organizations that help those

impacted by domestic violence. NNADV’s purpose is to help Nevada’s communities

respond eectively to the needs of victims of domestic violence. For more

information about NNADV and to nd domestic and sexual violence services in

your area, visit www.nnadv.org.

A Census of Intimate Partner Gun Homicides in Nevada - March 2016

Documents

Transcript of A Census of Intimate Partner Gun Homicides in Nevada - March 2016