Man who lured murder victim to desert with job ad also accused of killing a woman inside a Las Vegas Strip hotel room | Law Enforcement Today

LAS VEGAS, NV - Authorities with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said that a man who has been accused of killing a woman inside a Las Vegas Strip hotel room also allegedly lured a man to the desert weeks earlier, killing him after offering him a job to clean up trash.

According to 8newsnow, LVMPD arrested the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Dandre Owens, in February 2024 following the shooting death of 29-year-old Brittani Bailey inside the MGM Grand. Police re-booked Owens on Tuesday, February 25th on charges of open murder and kidnapping. Police suspect Owens lured Edward Kukish to a desolate desert area, killing him "execution style."

Court documents state that on August 9, 2024, a person called police about a decomposing body located in a desert area on Pabco Road near Lake Mead Boulevard. The body did not show signs of trauma, but it was separated into pieces.

The Clark County coroner's office later determined that the man, identified as Kukish, suffered two gunshot wounds to his head. Police said that the victim disappeared in January 2024. LVMPD's crime lab later determined that cartridge cases found near Kukish's body matched a gun already in evidence for Bailey's murder. 

When reviewing Owens' phone, police said he solicited a job on Craigslist in mid-January 2024 about a "desert trash pick up." Investigators later found text messages between Owens and Kukish. Court documents said that Kukish's family told police he would pick up odd jobs to make money. In text messages with Owens, it appears Owens drove Kukish to the desert area where Kukish believed he would be paid to pick up trash. 

In the summer of 2024, a grand jury indicted Owens on charges including murder and robbery for Bailey's death. A judge scheduled a trial in that case for September. Video surveillance showed Bailey and Owens in the hotel together before her death. Eleven minutes after entering the room together, Owens left alone. Detectives later located Bailey's Social Security card in Owens' wallet. On Wednesday, February 26th, a judge denied Owens bail in his second murder case.

In a separate incident, a man is facing charges for allegedly attacking and disfiguring his roommate with a machete inside a veterans housing facility, causing the victim to lose his arm. According to 8newsnow, LVMPD have arrested 32-year-old Brandon Smith on charges of attempted murder and mayhem for the incident that took place inside the U.S. VETS housing facility on Friday, February 4th.

Police received a call about a person needing medical attention around 5:00 p.m. and also received another call around the same time about a man, later identified as Smith, who was possibly involved in causing the man's injuries. Paramedics arrived on scene and found one man with a large cut to his face, his arm, and his hand.

Doctors had to amputate the victim's arm due to the severity of his injuries. Arriving officers later located Smith outside a nearby police substation and arrested him. In an interview with police, Smith said he was upset with his roommate and "decided to attack [him]" when he reached "his breaking point." Smith told police that he attacked his roommate with a machete and then threw the weapon in a trash can.

When an officer told Smith that the victim would lose his arm, Smith said, "I don't really feel sorry for it," adding that the man and other roommates allegedly harassed Smith for months. Police were unable to find any evidence of harassing. 

During Smith's initial court appearance, Las Vegas District Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer set bail at $50,000. Should he post bond, Smith will be required to have no contact with the victim. A preliminary hearing has been set for March 5th. As of this writing, Smith remains in custody.