LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Three juveniles are facing murder charges in the death of a Colorado woman killed during a drive-by shooting in a south Las Vegas earlier this month.
The suspects are identified as 19-year-old Johnathan Perez-Stubbs, 16-year-old Kevin Perez-Stubbs, and 17-year-old Mezarius Finch. All three will stand trial as adults.
An arrest warrant obtained by Channel 13 revealed that dispatchers initially received several calls regarding a shooting in the area of 3494 Bella Lante Avenue around 12:51 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19.
Arriving officers located a female victim lying in the front yard of the residence and requested immediate medical attention. Police officers at the scene determined that the victim — identified as Shawna McCowan — was possibly shot in the back.
McCowan was later pronounced deceased at UMC Trauma around 9:49 p.m.
Investigators found 16 cartridge cases for a 9mm in the yard where McCowan was found and near neighboring houses.
An interview was later conducted with McCowan's boyfriend, who was also the surviving victim of the shooting. He told police that he and McCowan were taking their dog for a walk on the north sidewalk of Bella Lante Avenue. At the same time, he noticed a younger male and female also walking along the south sidewalk.
Shortly after, a black sedan turned onto the street, and a passenger leaning out the window began firing a handgun.
McCowan's boyfriend told police that he immediately fled for cover on the side of the house until he stopped hearing gunshots. Upon returning, he realized McCowan had been shot and immediately called 911.
He says he did not have an explanation as to why someone would target them.
An autopsy conducted on McCowan found that her cause of death was homicide and retrieved a bullet from her right collarbone.
Video surveillance obtained by investigators from nearby houses revealed that the shooter fired primarily at the male and female juveniles identified earlier by McCowan's boyfriend. The shooter can reportedly be heard on video yelling, "You still wanna talk [expletive]?"
A neighbor would also tell investigators that she witnessed the two juveniles hop over a wall to emerge on Avenzano Street before fleeing the scene.
Through the course of the investigation, detectives were made aware of a fistfight that took place near the pool area of Volaire Apartments on Dean Martin Drive. Several juveniles were also determined to be present during the shooting on Bella Lante due to similar clothing.
Several interviews conducted by detectives hinted at several fistfights that took place between the two parties over the following months. A text message viewed by detectives also hinted that one of the juveniles — identified as Kevin Perez-Stubbs— initiated the fistfight because he claimed his firearm had been stolen.
Additional interviews suggest that the two boys may have also been fighting over a girl.
After being taken into custody by police, Kevin told officers that he entered a black Nissan sedan and was handed
a "ghost" Glock slide. Kevin claims he handed the gun back after the first round of shots were fired — which would strike McCowan — and was dropped off at a McDonald's near South Point.
Police say they would later learn that Kevin fabricated parts of his story to defend his brother, Jonathan Perez Stubbs.
All three individuals were arrested and booked at Clark County Detention Center on charges of Open Murder, Attempted Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
Johnathan Perez-Stubbs is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Nov. 8.
