On May 20, 2021, a fatal shooting occurred in east Las Vegas, resulting in the death of 32-year-old James Collins Bartlett. The incident took place on the 3400 block of Center Drive, near the intersection of East Charleston Boulevard and Palm Street. According to the Las Vegas police, Bartlett was talking to a woman near the back of a building when another man approached and fired multiple rounds before fleeing the scene.
Bartlett was immediately taken to University Medical Center, where
he succumbed to his injuries. The Clark County coroner's office later confirmed that Bartlett died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, ruling his death a homicide.
The investigation led police to identify a suspect in the murder. Johnathan Jones, a 36-year-old man from Las Vegas, was arrested on June 8, 2021, and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count of open murder. Jones is described as a documented member of the Blood gang and was on parole at the time of the incident.
Police gathered evidence suggesting that Jones was motivated by a perceived disrespect from Bartlett. A confidential source informed the police that Jones was angry with Bartlett for disrespecting him, which allegedly led to the fatal shooting. Additionally, cell phone tracking data placed Jones in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the shooting, further solidifying the case against him.
It was also reported that Bartlett had been involved in an earlier altercation, during which he was shot in the leg by an unknown male just days before his fatal shooting. Tips received by the police indicated that Jones was responsible for the second, fatal shooting.
Jones's arrest was the culmination of an investigation that included witness tips and technological evidence. He was expected to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court following his arrest, marking the beginning of the judicial process in this case.
