GUILTY NV - Kathy Shines, 54, brutal murder caught on tape, Las Vegas, 3 Jan 2015

A woman, who has been identified by the Clark County coroner as Kathy Shines, 54, of Las Vegas, was found dead next to a garbage dumpster at a strip mall near Nellis Boulevard and Desert Inn Road... where police say a surveillance camera caught the murder on tape. Police sources say the video shows the murderer dragging the victim's body. The killer stayed with the body for at least 30 minutes.

Joella Johnson is trying to come to grips with the loss of her best friend... Johnson said her friend was collecting cans to pay her bills, and she usually tagged along with Kathy to keep her company. "I know she was back there," Johnson said. "She collects cans back there. She's there every single night"...

Joe Cunico, a neighbor, said: "You couldn't find a better person. We've been neighbors for 13 years. She'd give you the last dollar from her pocket."

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On Jan. 7 at around 4:35 a.m., detectives from the LVMPD Criminal Apprehension Team arrested 24-year-old Jerry Howard of Las Vegas in connection with Shines' death. Howard was taken into custody without incident at an apartment complex on the 3000 block of South Nellis Boulevard. He was transported to the Clark County Detention Center and is facing charges of:

Murder (1st degree) with a deadly weapon
Sexual assault with a deadly weapon
Kidnapping (1st degree) with a deadly weapon
Robbery with a deadly weapon

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A man accused of sexually assaulting and killing a woman behind an east valley bar over the weekend was arrested today based in part on tips from the suspect's family, Metro Police said...

Police received two tips from Howard's family as well as other tips thanks to social media and publicity given to the case, Homicide Lt. Ray Steiber said at a press conference this afternoon...

He emphasized that Howard's family provided information to authorities. "They realized the severity of what occurred," Steiber said. "They realized how serious this was."

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Melisa Stephens said Howard came to her house after he killed 54-year-old Kathy Shines, saying he didn't know why he did it. She couldn't believe it herself, until she saw his face on the surveillance video. "I feel so bad for the lady's family, and I know he does too, he told me he's sorry. And he cries. He cries and cries and cries," said Stephens.

Stephens, who broke up with Howard eight months ago over his mood swings, said he was in a rough spot. He stopped dating a new woman, had a falling out with his family, and was recently living on the streets...

Howard allegedly stabbed, beat and sexually assaulted Shines, before throwing her in a trash bin and covering her in trash. Still alive, Shines crawled to her death, trying to escape.

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According to Howard's arrest report, a flashlight belonging to Shines was found in his bag, along with women's earrings and a notebook. At first, Howard denied responsibility for Shines death, but when he was confronted with DNA evidence police had, he admitted that he attacked Shines.

During a hearing Friday, a judge denied bail for Howard. He has been charged with murder with a deadly weapon, sexual assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon...

Wolfson inferred he plans to seek the death penalty against Howard.

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A 25-year-old man was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for raping and murdering a woman behind a Las Vegas strip mall.

It was the penalty prosecutors and Jerry Howard’s own public defender requested.

“That’s what Jerry deserves, and that’s what he accepts,” defense attorney Norm Reed said. “I think that’s just the right thing to do.”

Howard attacked 54-year-old Kathy Shines while she was collecting cans in the 3300 block of South Nellis Boulevard in January 2015, authorities said.

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Prosecutors agreed not to pursue the death penalty after Howard pleaded guilty last month to first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping, sexual assault with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon.

District Attorney Steve Wolfson said prosecutors and defense lawyers found compelling information from medical experts that Howard suffered from an intellectual disability. Wolfson also considered “a substantial likelihood” that, because of those reports, a jury would not impose capital punishment if Howard went to trial.

Howard agreed to waive his appeals in the case, said Wolfson, who negotiated the deal “in the interest of justice and in consultation with (Shines’) family.”

The defendant “is never going to see the light of day,” the prosecutor added. “We felt that that was the best way to proceed.”

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