What started as a neighborhood feud over backyard animals has turned into a high-stakes courtroom battle in North Las Vegas.
Sarah Davi, widow of Grace Point Church pastor Nick Davi, filed a civil complaint Monday accusing the Court at Aliante homeowners association and its management company, FirstService Residential, of contributing to a deadly escalation with a next-door neighbor. The suit links a months-long dispute to a Dec. 29, 2023, shooting outside the family’s Aliante home that killed Rev. Davi and left Sarah seriously injured while their children watched from the family vehicle. The filing demands a jury trial and seeks damages exceeding $15,000.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the complaint alleges that the HOA and FirstService “failed to implement appropriate safety measures” despite being repeatedly warned about the neighbor’s behavior. The lawsuit also alleges that FirstService relayed complaints to neighbor Joe Junio “in a manner that unreasonably escalated hostility” and that the association knew or should have known that violence was foreseeable. Attorney James Urrita, representing Davi, requested a jury trial and damages to cover medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost earnings, the complaint states.
Video from the Dec. 29 shooting, recorded by one of the Davi children from inside the family car, is referenced in both court documents and local coverage of the case. As reported by WSMV (KVVU/Gray News), the conflict began after the Davises complained to the HOA about Junio’s chickens and dogs. That dispute allegedly spiraled into harassment that included rocks thrown at the home and dog feces dumped on the property. Police records show the couple called officers several times in December 2023, and court filings say a restraining order had been requested before the shooting.
Junio was arrested after the gunfire and now faces criminal counts, including murder, attempted murder, and child abuse charges tied to the children who witnessed the incident, prosecutors say. Fox5 reports that prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty and that Junio has already appeared in court multiple times as the criminal case moves forward. The civil and criminal cases are proceeding on separate tracks.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The civil complaint lays out a timeline of HOA complaints, police calls, and alleged harassment, and argues that the association and its manager failed to take reasonable steps to protect the Davi family, which it asserts “caused or contributed to” Rev. Davi’s death, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The filing recounts claims that Junio once dragged her finger across her throat in a cutting motion and warned the couple they were “next,” and that she threw rocks and dog feces into the Davises’ yard.
The suit also identifies the possible owner of the firearm allegedly used in the shooting as an additional defendant. It seeks compensation for medical care, funeral and burial costs, emotional distress, and other damages related to the killing and its aftermath.
Criminal Case and What Comes Next
Junio remains in custody on the criminal charges, with local reports noting several upcoming court dates in the case. Prosecutors told Fox5 they do not plan to pursue the death penalty as the prosecution continues. For now, the criminal proceedings and the civil lawsuit will unfold separately, with attorneys trading filings and preparing for hearings in both matters.
In the weeks after the shooting, Grace Point Church and the wider North Las Vegas faith community held services and a memorial for Rev. Davi, remembering him as a “man of peace” and a hands-on leader. Coverage by KVVU/Gray News via WSMV captured congregants’ grief and their efforts to support the Davi family as they tried to navigate their loss. Family members and supporters have also raised funds to help cover immediate costs while the legal fight plays out.
The newly filed civil suit could become a test case for how far an HOA’s responsibility extends when neighbor disputes turn violent. Court schedules and filings in the coming months are expected to set a clearer timeline for the litigation and may spark wider debate over how associations handle repeated complaints about problem neighbors before tempers reach a breaking point.
