The Murder of Brittney Briggs

 

Brittney Briggs was only 24 years-old when her life was tragically taken inside her Las Vegas, Nevada home. The young mother was found murdered inside her residence on February 10th, 2017. To this day, Brittney's killer(s) have still not been brought to justice.

According to the LVMPD, friends of Brittney began to worry on February 10th after they learned she had not shown up to a pre-arranged appointment. The friends went to Brittney's residence on Spindrift Court and called police as well. It was then that police discovered Brittney deceased inside the home. Brittney's daughter, who was only 3 years-old at the time, was found crying, but otherwise physically unharmed in her own bedroom. 

Brittney had been brutally attacked by her killer(s). An autopsy revealed that she died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. Brittney's home also appeared to have been ransacked, as several items were missing from the residence. Despite this, investigators did not find any signs of forced entry at the scene. 

While investigating Brittney's murder, detectives learned she had recently started a new job as a tax preparer shortly before her death. Additionally, detectives also learned that Brittney "often sold items online and unknown person(s) were known to come and go from her residence." Police noted that it's possible that Brittney's assailant was someone who arrived at the home under the guise of buying something.

Although she was only three years old at the time, Brittney's daughter was still able to provide some details about what she saw before her mother was murdered. The young girl told investigators that "someone told her to be quiet and put a blanket over her head." The frightened young girl remained in her bedroom until police later arrived at the home.

Brittney's death has been a devastating loss for her loved ones, especially as her murder remains unsolved. Her family is still hoping to receive answers and closure. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Brittney Briggs, please contact the LVMPD’s Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
LVMPD Cold Cases
LVMPD Facebook

News 3 LV

Other similar cases:

• The Murder of Kayla Freeland
• The Murder of Keira Banks
• The Murder of Kellie Owens
• The Murder of May Ann Atilano Siason
• The Murder of Shannon Steele

The Disappearance of Irma Mkrtchyan

Irma Mkrtchyan has been missing since January 19th, 2014. The 45 year-old woman was last seen near south Durango Drive and the West Desert Inn in Las Vegas. Prior to her disappearance, Irma was living in Vegas and working as a broker for Farmers Insurance. On the day she vanished, Irma met with a client at a local apartment complex called Allanza. Irma texted her boss after the meeting to say she had to miss work the next few days to attend her ex-husband’s aunt’s funeral in California. The ex-husband’s family later confirmed that was false—there was no family funeral in California.

Around the same time, Irma also texted her loved ones to say that she was going to California for a business trip (no mention of a funeral) and would return in a few days. She also said that she left her car at the Allanza apartment complex with the keys left in the gas tank cap and that she would return in a few days. Irma also mentioned that her phone was going to die since she left her phone charger at home. Her loved ones found this quite bizarre—it was very uncharacteristic for Irma to leave both her phone charger and her car behind. Ever since those messages, Irma has not been seen or heard from again.

The Allanza apartment complex 

According to her family, Irma was not romantically involved with anyone at the time of her disappearance—but she was still living with her ex-husband Ara Marutyan. The former couple had two children together: a daughter who was attending school in a separate state, and a son who was living with them and attending a local university. Irma and Ara divorced in 2007 after sixteen years of marriage, but Ara claims the split was amicable. However, Irma’s friends said that Irma had been brutally beaten by her ex-husband. Irma also told numerous people, including her own daughter, that she was afraid that Ara might try to kill her. When police questioned Ara and their son, Arthur, they claimed that Irma been talking to another man online, and they believed she had run off to the Baja California region of Mexico to be with him. Irma’s loved ones do not believe this is true. According to her brother, Irma would not leave her family behind—especially her mother, who had recently suffered a heart attack.

Ara Marutyan and Arthur

Officials investigating Irma’s case have suspicions about Ara as well. Police said they believe that Ara lied to them. He also failed a lie detector test issued after Irma’s disappearance. A private investigator believes that Armenian organized crime may have played a role in Irma’s disappearance, with identity theft being the main motive. Despite all of this, there have still not been any arrests in Irma’s case and she remains missing today. 

Both authorities and Irma’s family believe that foul play is involved in her disappearance. There is a $12,000 reward for information about Irma’s whereabouts—if you have a tip, please report it by calling 702-758-4727.

The Murders of Nehemiah “Neo” Kauffman & Sydney Land

20 year-old Nehemiah “Neo” Kauffman (pictured left) and 21 year-old Sydney Land (pictured right) were just beginning a new chapter in their lives together when they were tragically murdered in late October 2016. Prior to this, the two were in a happy relationship and had just moved into an apartment together in Las Vegas, Nevada. On October 27th, 2016, a friend of the couple grew worried after not hearing from Neo and Sydney for a few days. That friend went over to their apartment and made a grim discovery: Neo was dead on their living room floor, and Sydney was dead in their bedroom. Both had been shot to death. It was estimated that they had been dead for at least 24 hours at the time they were found.

Officers who first responded to the scene found no signs of forced entry into the apartment. A murder-suicide was also ruled out. It has been theorized that Neo may have been targeted due to his “associations” with drug dealers. One of said associations is a man named Shane Valentine, who had threatened the couple in the past. In fact, roughly 20 days before the murders, on October 8th, 2016, Valentine was accused of opening fire at Neo’s family home. Fortunately, nobody was injured during that incident. After the murders, Valentine was arrested on unrelated charges, but inevitably questioned about the case. Though many believe Valentine is responsible for Neo and Sydney’s murders, authorities announced about a year after their deaths that they currently do not believe Valentine is their prime suspect. However, he has not been completely ruled out. 

Sydney and Neo’s murders currently remain unsolved. Police are seeking any person with information that may lead to a break in the case. If you have any information that may help the investigation, please contact 702-385-5555.

The Disappearance of Abby Roberts & Philip Johnson

25 year-old Abby Roberts (pictured left) and her boyfriend 27 year-old Philip Johnson (pictured right) were last seen together on September 29th, 2012. The couple left their Las Vegas, Nevada home in an unregistered black Chevrolet Cruze on that day and never returned. Both Abby and Philip worked at the US Post Office near McCarran International Airport, and they were reported missing on October 9th, 2012, after their loved ones were notified that they both stopped showing up for work.

Abby has not been since September 29th, 2012. Philip, on the other hand, showed up at his mother’s house in Torrance, California a few days later, on October 3rd, 2012. Philip and Abby had not yet been reported missing at that time, so Philip’s mother did not think anything was amiss. Philip drove to his mother’s house in Abby’s car and brought his and Abby’s two month-old son, as well as an older son from a previous relationship. He left the children with his mother and then never returned. Abby’s car was later found abandoned in Compton, California. There was no sign of Abby or Philip at the scene.

Investigators found no signs of foul play Abby and Philip’s home in Las Vegas. Despite this, Abby’s family still believes that Philip might have harmed her. Her family members told police that Abby had been contemplating leaving Philip because he had been unfaithful to her. Philip has never been officially been named as a suspect, and both he and Abby remain missing today.

If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts about Abby and/or Philip, please contact the Las Vegas Police Department at 702-828-3111.