Son arrested in fatal shooting of North Las Vegas father

A 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged father at a North Las Vegas home earlier this month, police said.

Michael Jamerson Jr. was arrested at the same house where his father, 48-year-old Michael Ray Jamerson, was fatally shot on May 14, North Las Vegas Police Department spokesman Eric Leavitt said Thursday night.

Police did not release much information Thursday night about how detectives identified the younger Jamerson as a suspect. But the night of the shooting, investigators found a large hole outside of the home, indicating someone used the hole to break into the house, Leavitt said.

Detectives believe the suspect broke into the house and then waited for his father to return the night of the shooting, Leavitt said.

“It looked like a surprise,” he said. “The son was probably in the house when they got there, and they didn’t know it.”

The 48-year-old was pronounced dead at the home on the 4900 block of Harold Street, near Lone Mountain Road and Bruce Street, police said.

That same night, Jamerson Jr. moved into the home, despite having been “estranged” from his father, Leavitt said.

“The night this happened, (Jamerson Jr.) came over and he pretty much moved in,” and was living there until his arrest, Leavitt said.

Michael Ray Jamerson’s 12-year-old son was showering that night when he heard a loud bang go off inside the home. Too afraid to leave the bathroom, he called 911 for help, Leavitt has said.

Police found the man dead from a single gunshot wound near the front door, inside the home’s laundry room. The 12-year-old boy and his father lived together, Leavitt said.

Police have said that the father’s siblings were taking care of the boy.

The Clark County coroner’s office has determined that the 48-year-old died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Jamerson Jr. was booked into the Las Vegas City Jail about 3:30 p.m. and remained at the jail Thursday night, facing charges of burglary with a deadly weapon and murder with a deadly weapon, jail records show.

Further information about Jamerson Jr.’s arrest was not available Thursday night.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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