Marvin Patterson: Accused in Las Vegas family murder-suicide texted brother about money problems day before crime
LAS VEGAS: The perpetrator of the family murder-suicide on Monday conveyed troubling messages to his brother the night before the tragic incident, serving as a potential motive for the family-involved violence.
As reported by News 3, it has been revealed that Marvin Patterson, aged 42, messaged his brother about facing eviction and car repossession.
These messages strongly suggested that Patterson was grappling with significant personal and financial difficulties, potentially playing a role in the unfortunate events that transpired the next day.
Moreover, these texts may have prompted Patterson’s brother to visit the apartment on Monday morning, where he tragically discovered the family had been shot.
What did Marvin Patterson do?
Patterson, aged 42, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, committed the murders of his wife, 34-year-old Schinara Patterson, his 14-year-old stepdaughter Ki’Ziah Cone, and 6-year-old daughter Zi’Myra Patterson before taking his own life. Additionally, he shot his 11-year-old stepson, Derrick, who is currently hospitalized.
The coroner’s office reported that the deceased victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head, while Patterson died by suicide.
The tragic incident unfolded around 10 a.m. when Metro Police responded to the murder-suicide at the Loreto & Palacio Apartments near Durango and U.S. Highway 95. Notably, Patterson was under house arrest at the time of the shootings.
Why was Marvin Patterson under house arrest?
Marvin Patterson was under house arrest as he awaited trial in April of the following year, facing nine charges related to sexual crimes against children as per Clark County District Court records.
These charges comprised five counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14, two counts of sexual assault with a minor under the age of 16, one count of lewdness with a child under the age of 16, and one count of first-degree kidnapping of a minor.
To provide context, Patterson was arrested in October 2022, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records, and initially, his bail was set at $100,000 with conditions such as surrendering his passport, undergoing high-level electronic monitoring, and staying away from children under the age of 18.
However, two months later, Judge Diana Sullivan reduced the bail to $10,000 with the same conditions, and Patterson posted bond.
Metro Police verified that Patterson adhered to the rules outlined for his electronic monitoring, and all the locations he was monitored at, including the apartment where the tragic murder-suicide occurred, were approved.
How did Marvin Patterson’s neighbors react to his family murder-suicide?
Some friends of Schinara, Marvin’s wife, attending a fundraiser on Thursday to cover funeral costs questioned why she and the children were at the apartment.
One of the previous landlords claimed that Shinara was evicted from a Las Vegas home late November because she was unable to pay rent. It’s unclear if she moved in with Patterson despite the conditions of his bail.
