Victim’s family upset after judge sets bail for I-15 killing suspect
A North Las Vegas judge set bail at $300,000 Monday for the suspect in the fatal shooting of a man found dead in a pickup truck on Interstate 15.
When the body was discovered the morning of March 2, Joseph De Luna, 28, was at the scene, north of Cheyenne Avenue in the southbound lanes, police said. He faces a charge of open murder with a deadly weapon enhancement, according to court records.
In court, prosecutors described the killing as a first-degree murder.
Family and friends of the victim, Jaime Zamora Gamez, 21, packed two rows of Justice of the Peace Belinda Harris’ courtroom. On the other side of the courtroom, De Luna’s family filled two more rows.
Jeniffer Zamora, Gamez’s sister, said after court that she was upset De Luna was not held without bail.
“He should not be out,” she said. “He should rot.”
The judge said she did not hold De Luna because she did not find “that proof is evident and presumption is great,” a legal standard higher than probable cause and lower than beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors had argued that De Luna should be held with no bail or that bail should be set at $1 million.
“We have a victim who was shot six times in the head, once in the upper back,” said Deputy District Attorney Sammy Lamb. “One of the gunshots was a close bullet wound that left residue on his head. This is not a self-defense type argument.”
Defense attorney Josh Tomsheck, who wanted $75,000 bail, said the prosecution’s position was “almost laughable.”
If the killing was premeditated, he said, “this is probably the worst plan in the history of time.”
De Luna called 911, remained on scene, told authorities where they could find the gun and answered their questions, he said.
Tomsheck argued his client has no history of violence and lots of family support.
De Luna told police he and Gamez partied before the killing on Fremont Street, according to an arrest report, and said he was too intoxicated to remember where they drove after leaving a bar. Police said he claimed he was “concerned for his welfare.”
“This was a night where he was taking drugs, drinking alcohol and then goes and kills somebody,” Lamb said. “And what’s to stop him from doing that again? To go from just drug usage to murder, it’s a huge step.”
She added: “I recognize that he has no criminal history so far but the fact that he was able to commit murder on his first offense is terrifying to the members of this community.”
If De Luna posts bail, Harris ordered him to be placed on electronic monitoring and have no guns, drugs, alcohol or contact with Gamez’s family.
Gamez’s mother, Magda Gamez, cried outside the courtroom after the hearing was over.
She had just learned her son was shot in the head six times, Jeniffer Zamora said.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.
