Las Vegas police arrested man weeks before he killed mother, driver in carjacking rampage
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man who killed his mother and then carjacked several people in Las Vegas, killing a father of seven in the process, was arrested a month before on a warrant and for driving with a revoked license, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
Justin Jeffrey Davidson, 36, engaged police in two shootouts with two assault rifles on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Two Metro police officers and three state troopers shot at Davidson 63 times and found his body inside one of the two cars he stole during the mayhem.
Davidson, of Henderson, was firing a gun near his family home at Placid Street and Maulding Avenue in southeast Las Vegas, police said. He then shot and killed his mother before stealing a police cruiser and carjacking two more people.
On March 11, 2023, a Nevada State Police Highway Patrol trooper responded to a crash involving Davidson on the 215 Beltway and South Jones Boulevard, documents said. The trooper arrested Davidson and brought him to a hospital for a blood test. The test came back positive for fentanyl, hydrocodone, methadone and THC, troopers said.
Police issued a warrant for Davidson’s arrest in August on a DUI charge, records said. Davidson appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court on the charge in October. Judge Joe Bonaventure granted an own recognizance walk-through, meaning Davidson did not have to go to jail or post bail. It was unclear why the warrant remained in effect afterward.
On Nov. 3, 2023, a Las Vegas Metro police officer stopped Davidson on Silverado Ranch Boulevard for going through a stop sign, documents said.
The officer said the driver attempted to drive off, until the pursuit reached a dead end. At the time of the stop, Davidson had a revoked license and a warrant for his March DUI case, documents said.
“I advised Justin and asked him if he was aware that he had a warrant, which he responded that he had a lawyer taking care of it,” the officer wrote in an arrest report. The officer then took Davidson to jail.
Several weeks later, Davidson killed his mother and Jerry Lopez.
Police searching the desert wash near Davidson’s home found loaded ammo magazines of various calibers. Investigators found a notebook that contained writing that included a diagram of a potential ambush, indicating that Davidson had been preparing for a confrontation with officers.
In addition, police found electronic devices, trail cameras, bulletproof vests, tactical helmets, firearms, and components that police believed could be used to create firearm suppressors at Davidson’s home in Las Vegas. At his Henderson home, law enforcement found more notebooks and electronics. Investigators noted that they also found military manuals and documents detailing police response to mass-casualty events.
Police said other items included prepping supplies, propane, and an ample butane supply. However, investigators stopped short of saying Davidson was attempting to build an improvised explosive device, saying that those questions remained unanswered.
As of Monday, the DUI and revoked license cases were not yet closed, even after Davidson’s death.
A GoFundMe for the Lopez family had raised nearly a half-million dollars since its inception.
Findlay Automotive Group donated a van to Lopez’s widow and children.
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