In the summer of 2014, a series of violent and random home invasions shattered the quiet of a southeast Las Vegas Valley neighborhood, culminating in the tragic death of 54-year-old Terri Ham, a White female. On the morning of July 29, a crime spree unfolded that would ultimately claim three lives and leave a community in shock.
The perpetrators, identified as Cody Winters, 27, and his girlfriend Natasha Jackson, 35, targeted multiple homes in the area.
Before breaking into the residence Terri Ham shared with her boyfriend of 20 years, John Hastrich, Winters had already shot and killed a neighbor, 59-year-old Richard Ramos. The couple's path of destruction also included the kidnapping of a highway maintenance worker.
When Winters and Jackson forced their way into Ham and Hastrich's home on Almondwood Drive, the encounter turned violent. Terri Ham was shot in the stomach, suffering a devastating injury. In the ensuing chaos, law enforcement officers responded to the scene and fatally shot Cody Winters. Natasha Jackson was taken into custody.
For nearly a month, Terri Ham clung to life at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Her boyfriend, John Hastrich, remained by her side, buoyed by small signs of improvement. At times, she could communicate with nods and gestures, and even move her fingers, offering a glimmer of hope to her loved ones. However, the severity of her internal wounds proved to be overwhelming. On August 21, 2014, Terri Ham succumbed to her injuries.
Following Ham's death, the charges against Natasha Jackson were expected to be amended to include an additional count of murder. Jackson, who had a criminal history spanning multiple states, had initially pleaded not guilty to a slate of felony charges that included murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and robbery. The tragic and senseless violence left John Hastrich and the community to grapple with the profound loss, turning what was once a happy home into what he described as a "house of horrors."
