On the evening of May 24, 2018, a dispute that began over a service dog escalated into a fatal encounter for 22-year-old Patrick Jordan Outhoummountry, a Black / African American male, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The incident unfolded around 8:20 p.m. at the Rancho Verde Apartments located at 98 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. Outhoummountry was with his service dog near a power box within the apartment complex when a 19-year-old woman approached and touched the animal.
This led to an argument between Outhoummountry and the woman, during which he reportedly struck her in the face.
The woman fled into a nearby apartment, and shortly thereafter, several men emerged to confront Outhoummountry. A chase ensued through the complex, culminating in a parking lot where Outhoummountry was shot multiple times. When officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived, they found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The coroner later confirmed that his death was a homicide resulting from these wounds.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify 21-year-old Taran James Wilhelmi as the primary suspect. According to witness statements, including one from a juvenile, Wilhelmi was the individual who fired the handgun, striking Outhoummountry. One witness described seeing Wilhelmi with a black and red handgun. This description matched a weapon that had been found in his possession during a prior traffic stop.
Wilhelmi was later located and apprehended in Madison, Wisconsin, and began the process of extradition back to Las Vegas to face a murder charge. Further investigation revealed that Wilhelmi's girlfriend had allegedly attempted to destroy the murder weapon by soaking it in bleach and vinegar. She was also accused of disassembling the pistol and disposing of it in a dumpster, which was subsequently emptied. Police reportedly found photos of the disassembled gun on her cellphone.
