Three people were discovered dead in a west Las Vegas apartment on Tuesday, June 27, leading to the arrest of a suspect in what authorities are deeming an apparent triple homicide.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police responded to a distress call at around 9 am. Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered a 50-year-old maintenance man who had sustained non-life-threatening stab wounds to his head. According to the man’s account to the police, the assailant launched an attack on him in the apartment complex’s courtyard, located behind the leasing office.
The law enforcement officers promptly apprehended the suspect, Spencer McDonald, 30, who was found to be carrying a weapon resembling a sledgehammer. While the motive behind the killings remains unclear at this stage, authorities have revealed that two of the victims resided in the apartment and might have had a connection with the suspect. Reports from 10 years ago mention a diagnosis of schizophrenia for McDonald, as well as a suicide attempt and heavy medication. A neighbor, Victor Arce, related that McDonald used to walk around the complex in the early hours of the morning, talking to nobody and with his head down. His grandmother had moved in with him after his schizophrenia diagnosis.
As per official reports, the leasing office of the complex had dispatched two maintenance workers to conduct a welfare check on the apartment for reasons yet undisclosed. Armed with their key, the workers entered the apartment, only to be confronted by the alleged assailant. While one worker managed to escape and alert emergency services, the other maintenance worker is believed to have tragically lost their life in the apartment. Later, the bodies of a woman in her 80s and two men in their 40s were discovered at the scene.
Investigation into the incident is ongoing as authorities work to determine the motive and gather more evidence surrounding the triple homicide.
