Las Vegas dad accused of killing mother in front of children: ‘Mommy’s dead’

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — A man allegedly killed a mother during a sex assault that police said their children witnessed, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed.

A Clark County grand jury indicted Elmer Manzanarez, 39, on Thursday on charges including murder and sexual assault, records said. Police originally arrested Manzanarez in September. Details about his arrest or the case were not publicized until the 8 News Now Investigators’ reporting Friday.

On Sept. 15, 2023, Metro police responded to an apartment near Owens Avenue and Pecos Road in the east valley for a report of a deceased woman. The Clark County coroner’s office later identified the woman as Yanci Gomez, the mother of Manzanarez’s children.

According to the indictment, Manzanarez is accused of strangling or beating Gomez during a sexual assault in front of the children in a shared bedroom.

Several witnesses told detectives that Manzanarez was allegedly abusive toward Gomez. On the night of Gomez’s death, one witness told police Gomez and Manzanarez were fighting. A child living in the home told police they witnessed Manzanarez hit Gomez, telling officers, “Mommy’s dead,” according to documents.

Documents specifically note several children “were present during the incident.” The child abuse charges Manzanarez faces also note the childrens’ presence.

Another witness told police they confronted Manzanarez after finding Gomez unresponsive on a bed, documents said. The witness said Manzanarez told them Gomez “fell down.”

In his interview with police, Manzanarez reportedly denied any fighting and that Gomez “convulsed” during sex, documents said. Police also noted he told them he drinks 20 beers a day, and was not drunk that day after consuming 14.

Exact details of when Manzanarez was released were unclear Friday, though records show a judge granted him $100,000 bail pending his Las Vegas Justice Court case. At some point, Manzanarez was released with an ankle monitor, records said. He remained out of custody as of Friday morning with a warrant out for his arrest.

Previous court documents spelled Manzanarez’s name as Manzanares. At the time of his arrest, Manzanarez faced charges of domestic battery and child abuse, records said. Metro police did not issue a press release at the time, likely because it appears a charge of open murder was added at a later date.

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