‘Slap in the face to the victims’: Advocate demands accountability after Las Vegas murder-suicide
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Questions remain about a Dec. 11 murder-suicide in Las Vegas.
Marvin Patterson, 42, killed his wife, daughter and stepdaughter before shooting and killing himself, according to Las Vegas Metro Police. He also shot his wife’s son who was taken to the hospital with life-threatening conditions.
Patterson was on house arrest, as first reported by the 8 News Now Investigators. He was set to go on trial in April of 2024 on nine felony charges related to sex crimes against children, according to Clark County District Court records.
Patterson’s bail was lowered to $10,000 with high-level electronic monitoring by Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Diana Sullivan last December. He was ordered to surrender his passport and stay away from children. He posted bond by working with a Las Vegas bail company. Two months prior, a pro-tem judge had set Patterson’s bail at $100,000 with the same conditions. Court records did not show any restrictions on firearms.
“It’s a slap in the face to the victims,” Jasmine Lee said of the reduced bail amount. Lee is the CEO and founder of the Dock Ellis Foundation, which she named after her late father, the famous pitcher. The foundation provides resources for the families of missing and murdered people of color, according to Lee.
“When I looked at the charges, I was baffled because it could have been prevented,” Lee said. “The community didn’t realize that we have an individual who’s floating around. That bothered me.”
The murder-suicide was discovered after officers were called to the 7500 block of Oso Blanca Road near Durango Drive and Veterans Memorial Highway just after 10 a.m. on Monday, police said.
A man called 911 after he went to the apartment complex to check on his brother and found the family shot, according to Lt. Robert Price from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The deceased victims were shot in the head, according to the Clark County coroner’s office.
The victims were identified Tuesday as:
Schinara Patterson, 34
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds to the head
Manner of death: homicideKi’Ziah Cone, 14
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds to the head
Manner of death: homicideZi’Myra Patterson, 6
Cause of death: gunshot wound to the head
Manner of death: homicide
Marvin Ray Patterson, 42, died by suicide, according to the coroner’s office.
Court records revealed that Patterson was charged with nine felony charges, including five counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14, two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16 years of age, one count of lewdness with a child under the age of 16, and one count of first-degree kidnapping of a minor. The crimes were alleged to have taken place from 2013 to 2022.
Patterson knew all of the alleged victims, according to court transcripts.
The 8 News Now Investigators obtained documents which reveal more about Patteron’s criminal history. There was a warrant listed for failing to appear in court for a burglary charge after a 2005 arrest, along with several traffic violations.
Judge Sullivan declined to comment when the 8 News Now Investigators reached out.
Bret Whipple, Patterson’s defense attorney, pointed to his motion to lower Patterson’s bail reviewed by Judge Sullivan.
“Hiw wife is a hairdresser, they have a good relationship and share responsibilities fo the children,” the document stated. “He is the primary breadwinner for ther household.”
Patterson did not have the ability to post the $100,000 bail, according to the motion.
Because of Valdez-Jimenez versus Eighth Judicial Court, a case decided in 2020, judges should consider two main factors when setting bail: whether the defendant would be a danger to the community and whether they will show up in court.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said that his prosecutors argued against bail being any lower than $100,000.
“Why should kids be subjected to this kind of heinous act as a result of the murderer’s problems in life?” Wolfson said.
On Tuesday evening, a vigil was held in the northwest valley to remember Schinara Patterson and her children.
“If he would have been in jail none of this would have happened. Where he was supposed to be, I don’t think they should have let him out at all,” Jamesetta Bernoudy, the mother of Schinara Patterson said.
On Thursday, a fundraiser for the family with food truck “Trap Wingz” was held. Owner Isaiah Robinson said that he knew the family.
“I believe these kids are supposed to be sent out the right way because they were innocent souls,” Robinson said. “They were beautiful souls at that and they didn’t deserve anything they got.”
Bernoudy told 8 News Now that she had also started a GoFundMe for funeral expenses.
On Thursday evening, it remained unclear why Patterson and her children were with Marvin Patterson. Court records showed that she had recently been evicted.
Jasmine Lee said that more organizations need to come together to help families in crisis and more accountability is needed in the judicial system.
“We need to hold this judge accountable and understand why she did what she did and how do we make sure that does not happen again,” Lee said.
To reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline, call 1-800-656-4673.
To reach investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, email vmurphy@8newsnow.com.
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