Jury to deliberate in murder trial over Las Vegas resort shooting

A assemblage is acceptable to statesman deliberations connected Tuesday successful a execution proceedings for a antheral accused of shooting a 20-year-old pistillate successful the backmost of the caput and cervix astatine a Las Vegas resort.

Michael Land, 40, represented himself connected 1 number of execution with usage of a deadly limb during the proceedings that started past week. He is accused of sidesplitting Bailley Short, who was recovered dormant connected Aug. 15, 2018, successful an alleyway connected the spot of Tahiti Village, 7200 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

“He led her to that alleyway close by the parking store helium knew each about, and helium executed her,” authoritative Christopher Hamner told jurors during closing arguments Monday evening.

Land shook his caput and enactment his caput successful his manus aggregate times.

Earlier successful the day, Land took the witnesser basal to talk to the assemblage and look cross-examination. Hamner said Land contradicted himself portion connected the stand, akin to contradictions helium made erstwhile constabulary interviewed him for astir 2 hours successful May 2019.

At 1 constituent Monday, Land testified that the serviceman who arrested him months aft Short’s decease told him helium had a “homicide warrant,” but aboriginal claimed helium did not cognize what the warrant was for erstwhile detectives interviewed him.

Land sighed and appeared frustrated during transverse examination, erstwhile helium admitted to lying successful the constabulary interrogation astir knowing Short’s name, going connected a day with her successful the past, being with her connected the nighttime she died, and owning a gun.

Police judge Land was 1 of 2 men who were with Short successful the aboriginal hours of Aug. 15, according to Land’s apprehension report. A antheral whom Short would wage for rides told constabulary helium drove her to prime up different antheral astatine Aria.

The antheral knew Short arsenic a enactment worker, and Short told him she was going to conscionable a “regular” lawsuit named Mike, the study said.

Security footage captured Land and Short walking connected the Tahiti Village property, toward the country wherever Short’s assemblage was aboriginal found. Only 1 idiosyncratic was connected video walking distant from the scene, Hamner said during opening statements past week.

Land told jurors that prosecutors failed to beryllium beyond a tenable uncertainty that helium changeable Short. Land said helium thought Short was “in trouble” connected the nighttime she was killed, and helium met with her to help. He said Short stopped to get nutrient astatine Jack successful the Box, but helium near her aft the operator dropped them disconnected adjacent Tahiti Village.

“Where is the malice proved betwixt maine and the unfortunate passim this full investigation?” Land said. “You’re not going to find it, ‘cause determination is none.”

Through DNA, slug casings recovered astatine the country and a slug lodged successful Short’s chin, investigators linked the weapon utilized to killed the 20-year-old to a weapon recovered successful Land’s apartment. Land said helium ne'er fired the gun, which helium said helium bought from a cause trader to support himself aft his location was burglarized.

Land said helium purchased bullets astatine a Bass Pro Shops that matched immoderate of the bullets the antheral who sold the weapon gave him. But prosecutors argued that investigators recovered a 20-pack of bullets successful Land’s flat that matched the bullets utilized to termination Short, and lone 2 were missing.

Hamner told the assemblage that Land “awkwardly” tried and failed to screen up the crime.

“When you ticker his interview, helium thinks he’s the smartest feline successful the room, and he’s not,” Hamner said.

Contact Katelyn Newberg astatine knewberg@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg connected Twitter.