Las Vegas teen accused of intentionally hitting, killing cyclist suspected in prior attempted murder
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A teenager accused in a deadly crime spree, which included the hitting and killing of a cyclist, is a suspect in a prior stabbing, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
Police arrested Jesus Ayala, 18, on Aug. 14, 2023, shortly after retired California police chief Andy Probst, 64, was killed while riding his bicycle. Ayala was 17 at the time. Video recorded from inside a car, which previously went viral, showed that Probst appeared to be intentionally hit.
Ayala appeared in court Thursday on a new charge of attempted murder, records said. The stabbing happened on June 27 in the west valley near Washington Avenue and Jones Boulevard, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained Thursday.
The victim was stabbed in his torso and had a large cut near his ear, documents said. He told police several young men attacked him for about a minute, in a seemingly random attack, before they ran off.
Police said they found a bloody knife while investigating the crime scene. Detectives also located video from an incident the day after involving a stolen car and several of the same teenagers, documents said.
In September, the stabbing victim identified Ayala as the person who stabbed him, partially because of the large tattoo on his face, documents said.
When speaking with police from jail, Ayala denied any involvement in the stabbing. He remained in custody on the prior murder charge.
Metro police identified Ayala as the driver and Jzamir Keys, 16, as the passenger when Probst was hit.
“You think this juvenile [expletive] gonna do something?” Ayala told a Las Vegas Metro police officer after his arrest “I’ll be out in 30 days. Watch, I’ll bet you.”
Ayala had a history in the juvenile system, as first reported by the 8 News Now Investigators. However, in Nevada, juveniles charged with murder can be certified as adults, meaning the case is moved to the adult system.
Earlier that morning, police said the teens hit a 72-year-old cyclist who survived. Keys was the driver, and Ayala was the passenger as he recorded video, according to detectives. The 8 News Now Investigators first reported that police found video where one teen is heard saying, “bump him” three times.
If convicted, the maximum penalty the teens could receive would be life in prison with the possibility of parole. By law, the death penalty cannot be pursued against a defendant unless they are 18 or older at the time of the crime. Life without parole is also taken off the table for defendants under the age of 18.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
