On August 13, 2017, a tragic incident occurred in the northwest Las Vegas Valley, resulting in the deaths of 46-year-old Noel Acosta and her husband, 44-year-old Thomas B. Acosta. The event unfolded at the Chateau Versailles Condominiums, located at 10550 W. Alexander Road, between Hualapai Way and North Grand Canyon Drive.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a call around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday regarding a domestic disturbance at the condominium complex.
The call was made by Noel Acosta's 15-year-old daughter, Selena, who was present at the scene. Selena's father, Carlos Janeway, recounted that his daughter was in shock and could only manage to say 'Gun, mom, shot' when she called him in Oklahoma. Selena then passed the phone to a detective who informed Janeway of the horrific incident.
Upon arrival, police officers found that Thomas Acosta had shot his wife, Noel, multiple times before shooting himself in the head. The Clark County Coroner's Office later confirmed that Noel Acosta's cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide. Thomas Acosta's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, and his manner of death was ruled a suicide.
The investigation revealed that the couple had a history of domestic violence. There was a prior incident reported on February 11, where Noel Acosta had gone to the hospital with bruises she claimed were from an incident about a month earlier. At the time of the incident, the Acostas were in the process of divorcing.
Thomas Acosta was identified as the suspect in this murder-suicide. He had two children of his own, a boy and a girl, in addition to being the stepfather of Noel's children. Noel Acosta was described by her ex-husband, Carlos Janeway, as a kindhearted woman who cared for people and was a mother of two and a grandmother. Janeway expressed his shock and disbelief at the incident, stating that he had met Thomas Acosta a few times and thought he seemed like an 'all right guy'.
The police response to the incident involved helping Selena escape the condo through a window before entering the premises to find the bodies. Selena was very distressed but safe, having heard the altercation and possibly seen something, though she did not witness the shooting directly.
There were no arrests made in this case since Thomas Acosta took his own life, ending the incident. The investigation highlighted the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the devastating impact it can have on families and loved ones.
