Expired license plate leads Las Vegas police to man wanted for murder
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Metro police pulled over a man for driving with an expired license plate, later realizing he was wanted for murder for allegedly punching a man, leading to his death.
On Friday, April 26, a Las Vegas Metro police officer stopped a car with an expired California license plate and no brake lights. Police then arrested the driver, later identified as Ricky Sanchez, on a warrant for open murder.
Sanchez allegedly punched Florencio Lomeli in December 2022, leading to Lomeli’s death, police said in documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. Lomeli, an employee at an east valley autobody shop, died from complications of blunt force injuries to his head, the Clark County coroner’s office said, ruling his death a homicide.
On Dec. 22, 2022, Sanchez allegedly punched Lomeli, who then was knocked unconscious and hit his head on a vehicle lift, documents said. After the punch, Sanchez allegedly drove off.
Two days after the punch, Lomeli brought himself to a hospital “with complaints of a headache, nausea, and a possible brain bleed,” documents said. The hospital released him three days later.
On Dec. 29, 2022, Lomeli returned to the hospital and was discharged the same day. Two days later, someone discovered Lomeli “unconscious and unresponsive” inside his home. Doctors pronounced his brain dead several days later, documents said.
Detectives spoke with an employee at the autobody shop who said he heard the suspect, later identified as Sanchez, yell, “Where is my money?” before seeing Lomeli lying on the ground and bleeding, documents said. A person later identified Sanchez as an employee of a neighboring autobody shop and believed Lomeli owed that business’ owner – Sanchez’s father — money.
According to Sanchez’s father, his son gave Lomeli money for a motor but never provided the part, documents said.
In February 2023, Sanchez contacted a detective, saying he wanted to interview over the phone but not in person “because he was afraid of the police,” documents said.
“[Sanchez] felt [Lomeli] viewed him as a child and as a joke, so [Sanchez] punched [Lomeli] one time,” documents said.
At the time of the warrant’s filing, police listed a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Court records indicate the warrant was filed last October with Sanchez facing an open murder charge instead.
On Monday, April 29, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Harmony Letizia released Sanchez with several stipulations, including GPS monitoring and random and scheduled check-ins. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 22.
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