LAS VEGAS — Two 15-year-old boys are facing murder charges in the shooting death of a marijuana delivery worker in Las Vegas, according to a report by 8 News Now Investigators.
Shelton Beasley, 15, Aren Hicks, 15, Jacorey Magdaleno, 17, and Jonathan Smith, 18, have been charged with the murder of Andre Bryant, 33, who was killed in September.
Recently, Beasley and Hicks were certified as adults, transferring their cases to the Las Vegas Justice Court, thereby allowing their names to be disclosed publicly.
In Nevada, juveniles aged 16 or 17 charged with murder are automatically tried as adults. The process, known as certification, can also apply to children over 14 for any felony offense, but it’s not an automatic procedure.
In October, a Clark County grand jury indicted Magdaleno, Smith, and several others for their involvement in an armed robbery at a 7-Eleven and subsequent internal conflicts within their gang, the Block Boy Gang.
The group, also known as the Block Boy Mafia, experienced internal strife following a robbery at a Las Vegas 7-Eleven on August 7, where they stole $26,465. This led to a raid on the home of Enrique Nunez, 17, another gang member, resulting in his death, according to prosecutors.
Nunez was shot at around 5:20 p.m. on September 1 at an apartment complex near Charleston and Rainbow Boulevards, as per police reports. Jomario Clark Jr., 16, Gregory Leonard, 30, Cameron Raye, 19, Magdaleno, and Smith are implicated in Nunez’s murder.
Beasley, Hicks, Magdaleno, and Smith are also accused of luring Bryant, a mobile marijuana seller, to a location near Hicks’ home in Spring Valley on September 9 and killing him. The incident took place near Rainshower Drive and Autumn Rain Court.
Investigation of Bryant’s vehicle revealed text messages about meeting at the murder scene. Bryant had made a call at 9:42 p.m., with reports of the shooting coming in four minutes later.
Hicks confessed to police that he and three others planned to meet Bryant to buy marijuana. He claimed his handgun malfunctioned as the others fired at Bryant’s car, killing him and accidentally shooting into a nearby home.
During a search at Hicks’ residence, a semi-automatic handgun was discovered, as per grand jury transcripts.
The teens face up to 15 felony charges, including gang-related enhancements. Although not certified at the time, Beasley and Hicks were mentioned in the grand jury testimonies.
LVMPD homicide detectives revealed in an interview that Hicks, Magdaleno, and Beasley were all present before the robbery and shooting. Jonathan Smith, in his interview, confirmed their involvement and the plan to rob Bryant.
Currently, Beasley and Hicks are being held without bail. Beasley is expected to return to court on January 2, while Hicks has a court date scheduled for Thursday. Their booking photos have not been released yet.
A trial for the indicted defendants is set for July.
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