Police arrest pair accused in string of armed home invasions in northwest Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas police have arrested two suspects following a string of home invasions and armed burglaries in Summerlin and the northwest valley.

According to court documents, LVMPD arrested Rondel Wilson, 24, and Shamar Lamonte Swanson, 26, in connection with multiple recent burglaries from earlier this month.

Between August 6 and August 10, police became aware of multiple armed burglaries under the jurisdiction of Metro’s Northwest and Summerlin Area Commands. Police said that “all events involved at least two black males that arrived at the incident locations in a blacked-out Dodge Challenger and made entry through the rear door of the residences.” The events were determined to be related through DNA recovery.

Burglary #1

On August 6 at approximately 8:05 p.m., two suspects arrived at a home on the 5800 block of Gold Inlet Drive in a black Challenger with black rims and unknown plates. It parked across the street and video surveillance captured the men going through the house and walking downstairs with the victim’s property.

The resident returned home at approximately 8:50 p.m. to find that her home “had been ransacked.” Among the items she reported missing were a handgun and ammunition, a Tiffany necklace, a pearl necklace, a diamond ring and some collector coins, as well as cash.

Burglary #2

Two days later, on August 8 at approximately 6:11 p.m., at least three unknown suspects arrived on the 8500 block of Sable Beauty St. in a black Challenger with black rims and an unknown temporary license plate. They made entry by breaking the home’s rear sliding glass door.

The victim arrived home less than half an hour later with her seven and five-year-old granddaughters. Two black male suspects exited a bedroom and confronted the resident, pointing a gun at her and demanding the code to a safe in the home. The victim told them that she didn’t know it, but her husband did.

One suspect then threatened to kill the woman before he ordered her to call her husband at gunpoint. She did so and he replied that he was around the corner and would be home shortly.

The suspects then took the victim’s phone and fled out the broken door. A third suspect was waiting in the Challenger at the north end of the street. The list of missing items included a Rolex watch, diamond earrings, a set of AirPod Pros and a key fob for a 2023 Harley-Davidson. The victim’s phone was later found in her backyard swimming pool.

Burglary #3

On August 10 at approximately 2:30 p.m., three suspects arrived at a residence on the 2200 block of Norway Maple St. in a black Challenger with black rims and a temporary license plate. Surveillance video showed three men entering the home by breaking the rear glass sliding door. The first suspect had a black handgun drawn while entering.

The victim reported that a Canon camera, two pairs of 24K gold earrings, a diamond and sapphire ring and multiple other items were stolen, including 80-100 additional pairs of earrings.

The Investigation

Police received a notification from the Forensic Laboratory on August 17 that DNA belonging to Wilson was found on a pry tool processed in connection with the first burglary. The next day, the lab reported that DNA belonging to Wilson and his girlfriend was discovered on a shovel that was also processed after the first incident.

A law enforcement records check on Wilson revealed that he matched the description of one of the suspects seen on surveillance video. Police found additional video of Wilson online in which he was sleeveless, showing his tattoos. The tattoos matched those of a suspect from the initial burglary who cleared the residence with a gun in each hand.

Additional investigation indicated that while Wilson was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center in May, he made phone calls to a number belonging to Swanson, who was also seen in the online video police used to confirm Wilson’s identity. Additional research online resulted in police finding a photo of Swanson wearing a gold watch that appeared to be the same Rolex stolen during the second burglary. Swanson’s height, weight and facial features matched those of one of the suspects identified through surveillance video.

Police said that the two suspects were seen together in “several other videos” online. On August 18, police drove by Swanson’s address and saw a blacked-out Dodge Challenger parked in the residence’s garage.

LVMPD detectives found Wilson at a casino in north Las Vegas on August 23 at approximately 11:30 p.m. when he exited the building. After seeing police, the suspect attempted to run back into the casino but was taken into custody. An officer conducted a search of his person and found a handgun stolen during the first burglary.

A second person with Wilson at the time of his arrest fled on foot. While police coordinated resources to apprehend the second suspect, Wilson slipped out of his handcuffs, stood up, and again attempted to run back into the casino. Detectives on-scene were able to subdue him and he was taken to Northwest Area Command for an interview.

Wilson denied any involvement in the crimes, but he admitted to knowingly possessing a firearm as an ex-felon. He stated that he bought it “off the street for protection.” He would not mention any details about it. Wilson voluntarily submitted to a DNA swab and signed a consent form.

Detectives located Swanson on August 24 at approximately 11:30 a.m. and took him into custody without incident. He was taken to Northwest Area Command for an interview.

On August 24, investigators executed a search warrant at Swanson’s residence. That search turned up a .40 caliber Glock handgun and ammunition, a shirt and hat a suspect was seen wearing on surveillance video, and a Dodge key fob, among other pieces of evidence.

Swanson waived his Miranda rights and agreed to speak to detectives, admitting that he was the suspect seen on video in the first burglary. He claimed that they “did not leave the residence with any items,” despite the fact that Wilson was arrested in possession of a firearm that was taken from the home.

Swanson denied being present, having any knowledge of the other events, or driving the Challenger, even after police confronted him with evidence of him exiting the driver’s seat on video. When investigators found a stolen handgun during the search of Swanson’s home, the suspect said that the firearm was his and he bought if “off the street for protection,” just as Wilson did previously. Swanson refused to provide any information about how or where he acquired it.

Both suspects are facing a litany of charges, including burglary while in possession of a gun, conspiracy to commit robbery, home invasion and first degree kidnapping. Wilson and Swanson each have preliminary hearings in court scheduled for September 12.

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