John Edward Harris died after a pre-dawn confrontation at a Las Vegas apartment complex in July. Employed by the complex, Harris approached a man he believed was trespassing; the encounter escalated from a verbal dispute into a physical struggle. Security footage captured the incident and shows the other man, Blake Valbracht, pinning Harris to the ground. Harris eventually went limp.

Valbracht, described as a 28-year-old drifter, said he performed CPR and called for help after Harris became unconscious. Police initially arrested Valbracht on second-degree murder charges, but he was released pending the coroner’s findings. The Clark County Coroner later ruled the death a homicide due to positional asphyxia, concluding Harris’ position during the struggle prevented him from breathing. The District Attorney declined to file charges, citing a police report that concluded Valbracht acted in self-defense and that Harris had allegedly attacked Valbracht with a flashlight.

Those who knew Harris remain troubled by the outcome.