On his 48th birthday, July 22, 2019, Leroy "Smurf" Lucero, a Hispanic male, had spent the day with his family fishing and barbecuing at a lake. Later that evening, after returning to his home in a trailer park near Mills Avenue and Hot Springs Boulevard in Las Vegas, he settled in to watch a movie. The quiet of the evening was broken around 11:30 p.m. by the sound of a car horn in his driveway.
This was followed by shouting and then the distinct sound of gunshots.
Witnesses reported seeing three shadowy figures dressed in black standing next to a dark-colored vehicle. After the shots were fired, these individuals got into the car and fled the scene, leaving Leroy Lucero bleeding on the ground outside his home. Neighbors and others who were nearby rushed to his side. First responders arrived within a minute of the first 911 call and found a faint pulse, immediately applying pressure to his wounds. Paramedics continued life-saving efforts, but Lucero succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy later determined his death was a homicide caused by three gunshot wounds to his upper chest, lower back, and right forearm.
The investigation into Lucero's murder uncovered his past as a former leader of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang. An FBI affidavit, unsealed in September 2019, revealed that Lucero had become a government witness, testifying against several SNM members in pretrial hearings and a lengthy trial. His testimony was considered a "significant factor" in securing their convictions. The affidavit concluded that Lucero's murder was orchestrated by SNM leaders and carried out by members and associates of the gang.
Despite the FBI's assessment, no one has been formally charged in the death of Leroy Lucero. The investigation was handed over to the FBI and remains ongoing. Individuals named as suspects in connection to the case, Robert Padilla and a man with the last name Ruiz, are currently in federal custody on charges unrelated to Lucero's death. Padilla was believed by the DEA to be the head of a significant drug trafficking organization in Las Vegas.
