Police: Convicted killer shot neighbor as victim’s sons waited for their dad

A shooting that claimed the life of a father in east Las Vegas unfolded Tuesday evening as his two teenage sons waited inside the family home for him to return from work, according to a recently released arrest report. Alexian Rodriguez‑Navar, a 25‑year‑old with a prior manslaughter conviction stemming from the 2016 killing of a Las Vegas teenager, was taken into custody at the scene on East Pavot Court near the intersection of East Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Police said the arrest occurred around 5 p.m. The victim was identified Thursday by the Metropolitan Police Department as Rasham Sylvester. Homicide Lieutenant Robert Price noted that Rodriguez‑Navar and Sylvester had been engaged in a neighbor dispute in the weeks leading up to the shooting. The arrest report states that Sylvester’s sons, ages 14 and 17, were inside the house playing video games while they waited for their father to come home. According to the report, the boys “noticed through a window that their father had arrived home,” and were “waiting to hear the front door open but abruptly heard gunshots.” After the shooting, they looked outside and saw their neighbor “Alex” holding a gun. One of the juveniles told officers that it appeared the gunman was moving toward their residence, prompting them to flee into a room and lock themselves in until police arrived. The boys also said they knew “Alex” because he had been their longtime neighbor and their parents occasionally spoke with him. Surveillance video from Sylvester’s home captured the incident. Police said the footage “showed Rasham walking on his driveway with a backpack and a set of keys in his hand,” that Rasham “looked across the street briefly as the shooting began,” attempted to run inside, was struck by gunfire and collapsed on his front porch. The video further depicted “a man that appeared to be Alexian walking from around a vehicle and firing several more times at Rasham striking him.” Sylvester was pronounced dead at the scene. The arrest report did not elaborate on a possible motive. A witness told police she saw Rodriguez‑Navar carrying a firearm moments after the shots were fired. The man “briefly walked away, then returned to “look at the person he shot,” police said. Because of his earlier manslaughter conviction, Rodriguez‑Navar is barred from possessing firearms. Court records show he was arrested in April 2016 on 18 felony charges—including murder, attempted murder, assault and conspiracy—related to a brawl, stabbing and shooting near the Hollywood Recreation Center that killed 15‑year‑old Angelo Barboza and injured four others. At the time of that incident Rodriguez‑Navar was 15 years old. He later entered a plea agreement in the 2016 case, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit battery, assault and voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon. In December 2016 he received a sentence of two years incarceration followed by five years probation. Following his arrest on Tuesday, Rodriguez‑Navar invoked his right to counsel and was ordered held without bail after a brief appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on Wednesday.