LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Four of the teens accused of beating and killing their Rancho High School classmate 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis entered not guilty pleas in district court Thursday morning. The suspects arefacing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit battery.
Now newly revealed grand jury testimony and evidence reveals more about what led up to Lewis' death.
Disturbing cell phone videos and surveillance footage show the moments Metro police said a mob of teenagers attacked Lewis.
In the cell phone videos, it appears several juveniles are laughing as a mob attacks Lewis.
Police said one of the videos was posted on Instagram. One of the frames showing Lewis in the fetal position in the ground with the caption "his a** looks like a dead body."
The evidence was presented to a Clark County grand jury.
Damien Hernandez, Dontral Beaver, Gianni Robinson and Treavion Randolph were indicted last week.
Two witnesses testified before a grand jury. The first was Rancho High School's assistant principal Neil Balint.
He was able to positively identify several of the suspects including the four teenagers that were indicted.
Balint also recognized the location in the video and told jurors it is "definitely in the apartments across the street from Rancho High School" and "there has been some violent activity within that area."
The second witness was Metro homicide detective Lawrence Gilbert who described finding a cell phone, a student lanyard, blood drops and what appeared to be a broken vape at the murder scene.
Gilbert outlined the timeline leading the Lewis' death stating Lewis threw the first punch at a student named Adrian. Then, "everybody comes and he's on the ground and everyone is kicking, stomping and punching."
Gilbert told jurors the group then breaks off and comes after Lewis' friend Federico who allegedly pulled out a knife in the fight to "help his buddy."
One of the Rancho High students Gilbert interviewed said Federico was "slicing and slashing everybody in the altercation."
Lewis' father Jonathan Lewis Sr. told Channel 13 at a vigil last November he hopes justice is served.
"What is actually going to be done about our children being so messed up at the age of 15 years old that they're beating each other to death?" said Lewis.
The four teens are back in court February 22. Their trial date is set for April 1.
Five additional teenagers currently in the juvenile system will be back in court at the end of January when a judge could decide whether to move them to adult court.
Metro Police are still looking for one more suspect in connection to the crime.
