Gun Violence Posts

By the spring of 1997, the murder of Daniel Mendoza had moved from McKellar Circle into the courtroom, City Hall, and the conscience of Las Vegas.In Episode 131, Part 3 of our series, public pressure builds as community leaders start to ask.... wh…

After Daniel Mendoza was shot and killed outside his apartment at McKellar Circle, the investigation should have been straightforward in at least one sense... the blue Dodge pickup truck with two men inside. Within days, investigators would know tho…

On December 28, 1996, 21-year-old Daniel Mendoza was standing outside his apartment near Flamingo and Paradise with some friends when a pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. McKellar Circle near University and Paradise was a pretty rough area at…

On January 21, 1983, Fred Sims and his wife, Rosalyn, finished dinner at the Denny's in their neighborhood. Fred went outside to warm up the car, while Rosalyn used the restroom and paid their check.When she walked outside, she expected to find Fred…

Graciela Alicia Gomez was a Specialist in the Nevada National Guard, a dog lover, a daughter, niece, sister, and friend. She was well-respected by her colleagues and stepped up to help Nevada in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. On October 3…

In October 2016, two young people with their whole lives ahead of them were killed inside their Las Vegas apartment. Nearly ten years later, the murders of Sydney Land and Nehemiah “Neo” Kauffman remain unsolved.This case has never fad…

Every once in a while, a case we’ve covered comes back to us in a way that reminds us why we tell these stories in the first place. Our latest Swing Shift episode revisits the murder of Brittney Lavoll, a devoted mother of three whose life was…

On July 3, 2024, police responded to the Crosswinds Apartments in central Las Vegas after two gunshots were reported. What officers encountered was a young mother, 32-year-old Meagan Ruiz, gravely injured on the upstairs landing of her home. The ini…

Below the Surface: Five More Lake Mead MysteriesWhen people think of Lake Mead, they picture clear water, warm sun, and long weekends. But not everything the lake holds is picturesque—or peaceful.In Part 2 of our three-part Lake Mead serie…

Lake Mead is more than a vacation destination—it’s a graveyard of secrets.In Episode 85 of Sins and Survivors, we begin a special three-part series exploring the chilling true crime stories and unsolved mysteries lurking beneath the wa…

Who Was Secoya Williams?Secoya was a vibrant, caring, and compelling force in every room she entered. At 25, she was a bright medical assistant at the Jane Pauley Medical Clinic, known for her ability to comfort children—especially those afr…

Sean Babbitt was the kind of person people describe as unforgettable. He was kind, brilliant, creative, and funny. He loved Halloween, Star Trek, and Dungeons & Dragons. He played guitar and sang with his siblings. He published music on Bandcamp…