North Las Vegas’ homicide count part of valleywide violent-crime increase

By RAVEN JACKSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Jason and Phoukeo Dej-Oudom, are seen in this family photo from 2012. Las Vegas police said Jason Phoukeo killed his wife and their three children before he killed himself. (Facebook)

Photo-illustration representing 104 homicides in the first six months of 2016 in the Las Vegas Valley (Gabriel Utasi/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

North Las Vegas police spokeswoman Ann Cavaricci speaks to the media at the scene of a fatal shooting at a day care center at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Ramble Ridge Way on Thursday, May 5, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto)

North Las Vegas police investigate a fatal shooting at a day care center at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Ramble Ridge Way on Thursday, May 5, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @bleblancphoto)

The apartment where Jason Dej-Oudom killed himself and his three children on Wednesday night is seen with boards across the windows and front door in Las Vegas on Friday, July 1, 2016. Dej-Oudom also shot and killed his wife at a nearby Walgreens. Daniel Clark/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @DanJClarkPhoto

Violent-crime rates have risen this year across the Las Vegas Valley compared with 2015.

NORTH LAS VEGAS

In 2015, North Las Vegas police investigated 16 homicides. The total for 2016 is 22, spokeswoman Ann Cavaricci said Dec. 15.

A notable homicide occurred May 5 involving Christina Franklin and her two children in North Las Vegas. Police said ex-boyfriend Travis Spitler fatally shot Franklin and shot their two small children before fatally shooting himself.

The children were taken to University Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Spitler had a preliminary hearing May 3 and was ordered to stand trial on charges of domestic battery, forgery and dissuading a person from testifying. The former couple had a history of domestic violence.

Justice of the Peace Melanie Tobiasson denied prosecutors’ request to revoke Spitler’s bail.

LAS VEGAS

The Metropolitan Police Department responded to 5,452 violent crimes in 2015. The tentative total of homicides, sexual assaults, assault and battery with a deadly weapon and robberies for this year is 6,333, a 16 percent increase.

Las Vegas police have investigated 161 more homicide cases this year, a 25 percent increase compared with 2016. That compares with 138 last year.

“These homicides are consistent with violent trends — trends that have gone up nationally,” Metro spokesman officer Larry Hadfield said Dec. 15. “More and more, people are using force and violence against others. With that, we have also seen our homicide rate go up.”

Metro had several significant homicide cases this year, but few shook the community like those June 29 involving the Dej-Oudom family in the northwest valley. Jason Dej-Oudom, 34, fatally shot his wife, Phoukeo, and their three children before killing himself, police said.

Phoukeo Dej-Oudom was divorcing her husband and was denied a protection order against him. Jason Dej-Oudom had a history of abusing the family that spanned a decade and included threats involving firearms, records show.

Metro also has seen 77 more sexual assault cases, 299 assaults and battery with a deadly weapon and 473 more robbery investigations.

Aside from violent crimes, property crimes rose 5 percent — specifically auto thefts, of which 434 more were reported this year.

However, police have seen a reduction in other property crimes, such as burglaries and larcenies.

Burglary was down with 2,080 fewer reported incidents, a 14 percent decrease. Likewise, larceny reports were down by 1,611 this year, an 8 percent reduction.

HENDERSON

Henderson police received nine homicide report this year, up from four last year, spokeswoman Michelle French said.

Contact Raven Jackson at rjackson@viewnews.com or 702-383-0283. Follow @ravenmjackson on Twitter.