Henderson SWAT members near the scene of a morning fire and possible murder-suicide at the 1300 block of Esther Drive. Henderson Police detectives are currently investigating the scene. Photo by Bret Runion.
Jack Johnson & Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review
An off-duty Las Vegas Metropolitan police officer appears to have killed his wife and young son before setting his house on fire, and then killing himself in an apparent murder-suicide, Henderson Police said this afternoon.
At 8:20 a.m., Boulder City Police received a call from a 52-year-old man at 1313 Esther Drive who said he killed his 46-year-old wife and son, and was setting the house on fire, according to Keith Paul, spokesman for Henderson Police Department, who is leading the investigation.
The caller then said he was going harm any officer that came to the home.
The man was in the street and appeared to be holding a hand gun when Boulder City Police first arrived, Paul said. He refused to follow officers’ commands to put down his weapon and surrender, and went back in the house. He likely killed himself at that time, according to Paul.
Boulder City Police called for SWAT assistance from Henderson and North Las Vegas Police. SWAT officers entered the home and found the man, woman and child dead. An autopsy by the Clark County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death, Paul said.
Boulder City Police requested Henderson Police investigate the incident as Henderson has the resources to investigate such an incident.
The home is owned by Las Vegas police Lt. Hans Walters and his wife Kathryn Michelle Walters. It is also believed they have a young child around the age of 5 or 6.
Hans Walters works in the patrol division of Enterprise Area Command.
Kathryn Walters is a former Las Vegas police officer who left the department in 2005.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Metro Sheriff Doug Gillespie spoke briefly at a press conference Monday but did not disclose many details.
“As many of you know, there was an incident today involving one of Metro’s lieutenants,” he said.
Gillespie said the lieutenant worked for the Metropolitan Police Department for more than 20 years, but he did not call Walters by name.
Gillespie said Metro will aide Henderson in the investigation.
Boulder City and Henderson fire departments, and police from Boulder City, Las Vegas Metro, Henderson and North Las Vegas police departments responded to the morning call.
Metropolitan Police and members of Henderson SWAT deploy near the morning fire at 1313 Esther Drive this morning. Henderson police are currently investigating the scene. Courtesy Photo.department is clearing the scene before handing it over to police investigators. Representatives from the Boulder City, Metropolitan Police, Henderson, and North Las Vegas police departments responded to the call around 9 a.m. Photo by Bret Runion.
Henderson’s Special Weapons and Tactical, as well as a North Las Vegas police command center, was set up at Martha P. King Elementary.
According to resident Larry Finn, who lives near Esther Drive on Jeri Lane, said he first saw smoke around 8:15 a.m. this morning. He did not hear any gunfire prior to or during the fire.
“I was out in my garage and I didn’t hear anything,” Finn said. “I just saw the smoke start to come up and people coming out (of their homes).”
Finn said he would see Hans Walters in the garage, describing the Walters as quiet and “never saw any commotion over there.”
The last homicide call in Boulder City was May 2010.
Las Vegas Review-Journal contributed to this report.
