On a warm afternoon in Las Vegas on May 16, 2016, 17-year-old Jhronne Maddox, a Black/African American male, was with a friend at an apartment complex on the 3050 block of South Nellis Boulevard. What began as a leisurely day by the pool quickly turned into a scene of targeted violence. Two armed men entered the gated pool area and opened fire in the crowded space, causing chaos as people scattered for safety.
Jhronne and his friend fled the initial volley of gunfire, only to be
confronted by more assailants. A vehicle blocked their path, and its occupants also began shooting at the two teenagers. As they tried to escape in another direction, a second vehicle appeared, and more shots were fired. During the chase, Jhronne was struck by the gunfire and fell to the ground. He was rushed to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. The Clark County coroner's office later confirmed that he died from a gunshot wound to the back and ruled his death a homicide. His friend managed to escape by hopping over fences and walls, injuring his leg in the process before finding a police officer.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a connection to a previous criminal case. Detectives identified 23-year-old Terlmaine Weaks as a primary suspect. Investigators believed that Weaks targeted Jhronne and his friend because he thought they had provided information to the police about his involvement in a residential burglary the previous August, a case in which Maddox and his friend were also arrested. Less than a month before the fatal shooting, Weaks had been arrested on a separate burglary charge but was released on bail just two days later.
Six days after the murder, a fugitive task force in San Pedro, California, apprehended Weaks. He was held in Los Angeles County Jail, awaiting extradition to Las Vegas to face charges of murder and attempted murder. At the time of Weaks' arrest, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced that they were still searching for a second suspect involved in the shooting but did not publicly release a name.
