A man was beaten to death last week after shielding his girlfriend from another man who was upset that she denied him a cigarette outside a Las Vegas food bank, according to an arrest report.
The Metropolitan Police Department on Wednesday arrested Shiloh Leutu, 38, in connection with the death of Scott Dennis, 60, on July 9.
Police claimed Leutu hit and kicked Dennis’ head and abdomen while Dennis was defending himself against Leutu and another suspect. Metro has not yet made a second arrest in the case, a department spokesperson said in an email Thursday. Leutu’s arrest report does not identify the other suspect.
Leutu is charged with one count of battery of an older person resulting in substantial bodily harm, online Las Vegas Justice Court records show. He was charged with open murder on Wednesday, but records show the Clark County District Attorney’s office on Thursday decided to not pursue the count.
Asked why the open murder charge was not pursued, the district attorney’s office said it can amend charges depending on the findings of the autopsy report, which has not been completed.
The arrest report said the doctor who performed Dennis’ autopsy believed the assault contributed to a heart attack that Dennis may have had, but the official ruling was pending additional analysis.
Surveillance footage shows fight
The report said Metro received a 911 call from a woman just before 6:20 a.m. on July 9 claiming her boyfriend was beaten up by “gang members” outside the City Impact Urban Food Bank at 928 East Sahara Ave., near South Maryland Parkway.
Medical personnel transported the victim, identified as Dennis, to Sunrise Hospital, where he later died.
Surveillance video near the food bank showed Leutu approach the food bank just after 4:50 a.m., about 30 minutes before Dennis and his girlfriend arrived, according to police.
Dennis walked away from the line to smoke in the parking lot just before 6:10 a.m. when the unidentified suspect, who had just arrived outside the food bank, asked Dennis’ girlfriend for a cigarette.
When she told him she did not have any cigarettes, the report said, the man appeared to get upset and start insulting her. Police said Dennis appeared to walk back to the line and shield his girlfriend from the suspect as the two men argued.
The unidentified man threw what police believe is a piece of food at Dennis before the man tried to hit Dennis, starting a fight on the sidewalk that extended to the parking lot after the man pulled Dennis there, the report said.
While the unidentified suspect grabbed Dennis’ right arm, police said, Leutu punched Dennis in his head and abdomen multiple times.
Police said Dennis fell on the sidewalk while walking back to the food bank. With Dennis’ feet in the air in a defensive posture, the report said, the unidentified man dragged Dennis by his leg back to the parking lot.
Leutu punched him in the head several times while Dennis was trying to get up, according to the report. The other man also threw Dennis to the ground before he could get back up, police said.
“It appeared Suspect #1 was trying to keep Dennis on the ground while Suspect #2 (Leutu) started kicking Dennis in his abdomen,” the report said.
Leutu and the other suspect left the scene when the fight ended just after 6:15 a.m., police said. Video showed Dennis lying on the ground while his girlfriend took pictures of the two suspects, according to the report.
Leutu was later captured on surveillance video outside The Lovewell Center, a facility that provides services to homeless people, where he changed his clothes, the report said. When shown a picture of the suspects taken by Dennis’ girlfriend, police said staff at the center recognized one as Leutu.
Police located and arrested Leutu just over one mile from the scene just before 12:35 a.m. Wednesday. Leutu told detectives Dennis had put him and the unidentified suspect in headlocks after Dennis hit and kicked them, which was contradictory to what surveillance footage showed.
Police added that Leutu was listed as a suspect in a grand larceny report after he allegedly stole an espresso machine from his employer.
Leutu’s initial appearance is scheduled for Monday, online court records show.
Contact Spencer Levering at slevering@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253.
