HENDERSON (KTNV) — Residents of an East Henderson neighborhood are shaken up after police say there was a home invasionover the weekend.
Residents describe the neighborhood off of Robbers Roost Avenue, near Horizon Ridge Parkway, as quiet and calm. However, over the weekend, residents say it was anything but peaceful.
"We wouldn't have ever expected anything like that to happen," said Shay McCalister, who has lived in the neighborhood for two years.
McCalister says it's usually a very safe area. However, that wasn't the case on April 13.
Henderson police say they arrested 38-year-old Phillip Richardson for multiple charges, including residential burglary, home invasion and battery with a deadly weapon.
According to police, Richardson broke into Robert and Melinda Thomas' home before 5:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The arrest report says Robert went downstairs to check on their dog. That's when Richardson attacked him. Melinda then came downstairs and was also attacked.
"It's very sad," McCalister said. "When I first even moved into this neighborhood, it was one of the safest, well, what I thought was one of the safest neighborhoods."
Police say this was not their first encounter with Richardson. Police tell Channel 13 on the day before the crime, they found Richardson in Henderson in the area of Tremont Avenue and Keesey Way, after a report of a suspicious person around 1:15 p.m.
Police say they gave him a ride a mile away to a bus stop at S. Eastern Avenue and W. Horizon Ridge Parkway. Then, officers gave him a bus pass. That intersection is around four and a half miles from the scene of the crime.
According to the police report, when they found Richardson after the crime, he was covered head-to-toe in dried blood but did not have any visible injuries. The report states Richardson used an unknown object to beat the couple across the head, face, and arms.
Police say Melinda has multiple skull fractures, large cuts on her head, and other fractures. Robert has several cuts on his head, a broken jaw, and multiple head injuries.
The Thomas family tells Channel 13 they're both healing. One of them has been discharged from the hospital and the other is still being treated.
As for the neighborhood, residents say they've seen more police activity nearby.
"Since the incident has happened, I've noticed the police have been canvassing the area. That right there also makes me feel a lot safer," McCalister said.
Henderson police tells Channel 13 they're still investigating this crime. We will continue to update you with the latest information on air and online.
