On April 6, 2008, Metro Officers saw a male walking near the intersection of Palos Verde and Frederika. According to police, the man, later identified as 31-year-old Juan Apariciopara, appeared despondent and was holding a jacket up to his neck as if he was injured.

The officers stopped Apariciopara to see if he needed help. Apariciopara told officers he had just killed his girlfriend and tried to run away. When the officers tried to detain him, he started to cut his own throat with a box cutter. A violet struggle took place as the officers fought to prevent the man from committing suicide, with another officer using his Taser to subdue the suspect.

One officer was cut on the hand with the box cutter, and was later treated and released. Apariciopara was transported to Sunrise Hospital Trauma, where he was admitted in serious condition with multiple incised wounds to his neck.

Officer’s checked his apartment in the 500 block of North Circle, and found a deceased male, later identified as Edwin Rodriguez, with obvious sharp force injury. The girlfriend was located uninjuried.

A preliminary investigation by Homicide detectives indicated Apariciopara became upset when he discovered his girlfriend having sex with his roommate. A fight ensued and Apariciopara killed Rodriguez.

Apariciopara was booked in absentia at the Clark County Detention Center for murder with a deadly weapon, battery on a police officer with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest with a deadly weapon.

Categories: Downtown Las Vegas