Argument led to fatal stabbing of 25-year-old man

A 25-year-old man killed early Saturday in west Las Vegas was stabbed during an argument with his friend’s boyfriend, according to an arrest report.

Skylar Gerardo, 26, is accused of fatally stabbing Marquise Williams at an apartment complex on the 3100 block of South Decatur Boulevard, near Desert Inn Road, the Metropolitan Police Department has said. Police were called to the complex about 2 a.m. Saturday, and when officers arrived they found Gerardo outside “covered in blood,” according to his arrest report.

“Gerardo made spontaneous utterances that ‘he had to protect himself, he was attacking me,’” the report said.

According to the report, he was in an argument with his girlfriend about her “cheating on Gerardo,” and the woman told her friend about the fight. At about 1:35 a.m. Saturday, the woman’s friend and Williams arrived at the apartment to check on her.

Gerardo’s girlfriend told police that Williams “began criticizing Gerardo about his life choices” and slapped a water bottle out of his hand, the report said.

The woman’s friend said that Williams was “preaching to Gerardo about his mother being killed in a domestic violence incident,” when Gerardo “snapped,” grabbed a butcher knife and started stabbing the other man, the report said.

The Clark County coroner’s office has ruled Williams’ death a homicide due to sharp force injuries.

After he was arrested, Gerardo told police he felt threatened by Williams, the report said. He claimed Williams slapped him and threatened to kill him.

“Gerardo wouldn’t elaborate but only stated it was self defense and he feared for his life,” the report said. “Gerardo admitted he didn’t see Williams with a weapon.”

Gerardo remained in the Clark County Detention Center on Tuesday without bail, jail records show.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.