A harrowing incident unfolded in Las Vegas when a woman was fatally shot in front of her children outside an apartment complex. Authorities have since apprehended the suspected shooter, Richard Watson, 41, a Las Vegas man who also happened to be the father of the children and the boyfriend of the victim, as reported by News 3 Las Vegas. Watson has been charged with open murder, among other offenses, following the devastating event which took place around 8:30 p.m. on December 1.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, arriving at the scene after reports of suspected gunfire, discovered Christina Kelly fatally wounded by multiple gunshots. Attempts to save her life were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. As found in the surveillance footage from the nearby Palms Casino, Watson was observed arriving at and leaving the apartment complex on the day of the shooting. FOX5 Vegas described the movements of the suspect captured by the video recordings.
According to FOX5 Vegas, the footage chillingly depicts the moment when Kelly, carrying one child and followed by another, was assaulted by Watson in the parking area. The attacker, after putting down a child carrier, grabbed one of the children and simultaneously began shooting Kelly, then fleeing the scene with the two children in tow. Police later found thirteen cartridge casings littering the ground where the incident took place.
History of domestic turbulence was noted between Watson and Kelly, with Kelly having been previously listed as the victim in an aggravated stalking case against Watson. "A record check by police also revealed Watson had past arrests for domestic battery and attempted murder," which was reported by News 3 Las Vegas. However, it seems those alerts failed to prevent the tragedy. The children were later found unharmed at Watson's father's home, whose initial claim of them being there all day was later retracted for a last-minute babysitting request by Watson.
Watson was detained around 2 a.m. at PT's Pub on South Rainbow Boulevard following an investigation that used cellphone location data and license-plate readers to trace his movements after the crime. A text message asserting "I killed her" was found on an associate's phone at the bar and was linked to Watson. Facing multiple charges, Watson sought legal counsel and declined to answer questions during his police interview, remaining in custody at the Clark County Detention Center.
