James Gina III shot and killed his girlfriend, hid her body in an attic, and planned on moving the remains in a rental car, say cops in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Mugshot: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Police in Las Vegas, Nevada, claim a man shot and killed his girlfriend during an argument.
“I killed the woman I loved,” James Gina III, 50, allegedly told a witness who encountered the slain victim, according to WSET.
The defendant hid her and planned to move the remains in a rental car, cops claim. Gina allegedly did not want to use his car because the body was beginning to emit a foul smell.
Cops said they responded Monday near Desert Inn Road and Eastern Avenue regarding a homicide.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were told at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday of a possible injured person at a home in the 1600 block of Golden Arrow Drive.
Officers arrived there and found Gina and a dead woman.
Detectives determined that Gina was the woman’s boyfriend — and the suspect in her murder.
Police said the woman suffered from approximately 12 gunshot wounds, according to WSET. They did not identify her.
A witness told investigators about hearing Gina and the victim arguing, officers said. The witness left to go gambling and when he returned several hours later, he found the woman lying naked on the floor with a bullet hole in her chest, police said.
This witness allegedly left the residence and returned the following day.
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“I killed the woman I loved,” Gina allegedly told him. The defendant said he put her body in the attic, police said.
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Another witness told detectives that during the prior argument, he overheard the defendant’s mother attempting to step in, but Gina threatened to shoot her too if she did not go away.
The defendant had a violent temper and did crystal meth, this second witness said.
Gina allegedly planned on moving the body in a rental car because he did not want to use his in light of the body beginning to emit a foul odor.
He declined to speak to cops after they took him in for questioning, officers reportedly said.
Nevada prison records show Gina was previously convicted of battery/domestic violence with serious bodily harm, possession of a stolen vehicle, battery causing substantial harm, coercion, and owning or operating premises on which illegally obtained motor vehicle is altered, destroyed, disassembled, reassembled or store for certain purposes.
LVPD booked him into the Clark County Detention Center for open murder involving a deadly weapon.
Police ask that anyone with information on this incident to call the homicide section at 702-828-3521 or email [email protected].
You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or going to www.crimestoppersofnv.com.
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