In the late hours of a Wednesday evening in Las Vegas, a heated argument shattered the peace of an apartment shared by 51-year-old Kristan Elizabeth Smith and her 24-year-old boyfriend, Johnny Medrano. The dispute, which took place on September 2, 2015, tragically escalated, culminating in the untimely death of the female victim. Neighbors reported hearing the sounds of a struggle, followed by the distinct crack of a gunshot that pierced the night.
Following the fatal altercation,
Medrano fled the scene, leaving Smith grievously wounded. Authorities were alerted to the shooting and upon their arrival at the apartment, located near the intersection of 21st and Fremont streets, they discovered Smith's body. The Clark County Coroner's office would later confirm that she had died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Her death was classified as the 81st suspected homicide investigated by Las Vegas police that year.
An immediate manhunt for Medrano was launched. He was located a short time later at a nearby residence and taken into custody without incident. According to police reports, during his arrest, Medrano made statements to the effect of, "Why don't you just shoot me?". He was subsequently booked at the Clark County Detention Center on charges of suspicion of murder with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In his initial statements to detectives, Medrano denied harming Smith and provided a conflicting account of his whereabouts on the night of the murder.
