A 51-year-old man, Russell McLaren, was arrested in northeast Las Vegas for a series of disturbing crimes involving an elderly woman, local law enforcement officials reported. McLaren stands accused of first-degree arson, aggravated stalking with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and destruction of property, as noted by News3LV. During a court hearing, it was revealed that McLaren's alleged harassment included setting the front porch on fire, throwing rocks at windows, and menacing behavior with jugs of gasoline.
Residents in the involved northeast Las Vegas community had to increasingly take precautionary measures when they suspected McLaren might start a fire, thus prompting a confrontation. In a recent incident, neighbors intervened by using their vehicles to push McLaren into a fence after spotting him with containers possibly filled with a flammable liquid, according to Deputy District Attorney Sarah Overly. McLaren's bail has been set at $100,000, accompanied by conditions such as high-level electronic monitoring and a strict no-contact order with the victim.
Incidents relating to the harassment of the elderly victim began six months ago, with attacks escalating over time. These incidents were captured by home surveillance cameras, including one instance where the perpetrator shot small yellow balls through the windows and another where the word "WARNING" was spray-painted on the home, as reported by FOX5 Las Vegas. The attacks peaked when video footage showed someone dousing the home with liquid and setting it ablaze, which the resident managed to extinguish after being alerted by smoke detectors.
The situation grew more intense with rocks being hurled through the woman's windows, and on one occasion, a man was caught on camera holding containers likely containing gasoline. Melonie Keeran-Bolen, speaking to a suspect through a Ring camera last December, was told her late son was being accused of stalking the intruder. The suspect, identifying himself as Russ, claimed Keeran-Bolen's son was still alive and involved in "this little electromagnetic frequency thing" and called him "reptilian," as noted by FOX5 Las Vegas.
The most recent attack led to the arrest of McLaren when the elderly woman's roommate and a neighbor noticed McLaren maneuvering towards the home with containers of liquid. Their quick thinking seemingly prevented another potential fire. "They used their cars and knocked him into the backyard, with the car. And that's when the neighbor saw the machete in his hand and he used the bat to knock his arm to get him to drop the machete," friend of the family, Kelly Smith, described to FOX5.
Neighbors were acknowledged as heroes by the victim's family, who credit them with saving the elderly woman's life. In response to the damages incurred, the family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign aiming to raise funds for the repairs, with stress placed on the costly window replacements.
