Man held on murder charge after stop for speeding in school zone

A man wanted in a 2020 homicide was arrested Wednesday after police said he was speeding in a school zone.

Dennis Vasquez, 32, is being held without bail after he was arrested on a warrant and charged with murder, according to jail records.

Vasquez is charged in the fatal shooting of Daniel Vesper, who was 30 at the time he was shot on Oct. 18, 2020. Officers were initially called that day at 1:36 a.m. to a condo on the 3000 block of Key Largo Drive, near McLeod Drive.

Witnesses told police that the two men were in a fight when Vasquez pulled out a gun and pointed it at Vesper, according to an arrest report from the Metropolitan Police Department. Video from a neighbor showed Vesper attempted to hit Vasquez and Vasquez fired four shots.

Vasquez called the police to report the shooting, and when police arrived he stated, “I have a bad back, it was self-defense,” according to the arrest report.

At the time of the shooting, police said the case was being considered for possible self-defense.

Vesper died November 1, 2020 from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Clark County coroner’s office.

A neighbor said Vasquez warned Vesper multiple times that he had a gun and would shoot Vesper.

Vasquez was arrested around 9:36 a.m. near West Oakey Boulevard and Mohawk Street after Clark County School District Police pulled him over and discovered the active warrant, which was issued in March.

Police said Vasquez was driving a Toyota Rav4 30 mph in a 15 mph area. In a post on Facebook Wednesday, school district police said they stopped over 400 cars during a targeted effort for slower speeds in school zones.

“Warnings were asked for,” the posts read. “None were given. We had arrests, tows, and a few parents walking home.”

Vasquez was expected to appear in court Thursday morning.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.