Newly released investigative documents paint a chilling picture of the moments before a young Las Vegas mother and an 18-month-old girl were gunned down in a parked car in the south valley. Detectives say the man accused in the killing told them he fired into the vehicle and later admitted, "I killed a child."
The victims were identified as 20-year-old Danaijha Robinson and 18-month-old Nhalani Hiner. The shooting happened March 2 in a residential neighborhood in the southern part of the Las Vegas Valley, and police say 22-year-old Ziaire Jacob Ham was arrested the next day in Utah.
Documents detail suspect's account
According to a declaration of probable cause obtained by KTNV, Ham told detectives he believed people with gang ties were following him before the shooting. He claimed two vehicles trailed him into the neighborhood and waited about 20 minutes.
The documents say Ham then walked up to the passenger side of a blue 2014 Hyundai Accent and opened fire. In the report, he is quoted as saying, "that's when I lit up the car, I ain't even gonna lie" and "I didn't mean to kill that person." Investigators say he later told them, "I killed a child."
Officers found victims in parked car
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were in the area on an unrelated traffic stop when they heard gunshots nearby. They followed the sound and found a parked vehicle riddled with bullet impacts.
Inside, officers discovered Robinson and the toddler suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. The Clark County Coroner's Office determined that each died from gunshot wounds, as reported by FOX5 Las Vegas.
Arrest came after multi-agency pursuit
On March 3, Ogden City police and the Utah Highway Patrol spotted the suspect in Utah and moved in. A vehicle pursuit followed before officers were able to take Ham into custody, FOX13 reports.
Weber County jail records show Ham was booked there on March 3 on Utah charges that include failure to stop for police and reckless driving.
Charges, extradition and court status
In Nevada, Las Vegas authorities say Ham is expected to face two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon, along with a charge of shooting into an occupied structure or vehicle. Metro detectives also plan to seek his extradition to Clark County, according to FOX5 Las Vegas.
Court filings show that an initial hearing was scheduled in connection with the case. Local officials also said that as of their most recent checks, Ham had not yet been booked into the Clark County Detention Center.
Family and neighbors react
In the days after the shooting, loved ones created an online fundraiser in Robinson's memory, describing her as having a "kind heart." Neighbors told reporters the quiet residential area had been shaken by the sudden violence, according to coverage from 8 News Now (KLAS).
Sources close to the family told the outlet that Robinson had been watching a friend's toddler at the time of the shooting.
What comes next
Once extradition is completed and charges are formally filed in Nevada, the case will move into the Clark County court system. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigators say they coordinated with Utah law enforcement agencies to track down and arrest the suspect.
The documents already obtained by reporters are expected to feature prominently in the early court hearings as prosecutors determine how to proceed with the double homicide case.
