Kieron Hatchett

Kieron Hatchett, a 23-year-old Black man, was a talented basketball player for Treasure Valley Community College who was home for the summer in Las Vegas, Nevada. Friends and family remembered him for having the greatest smile, and his sister, Juantrell Lovett, was moved by the outpouring of community support at a vigil held in his honor.

In the early morning hours of August 29, 2021, Hatchett and three friends were at an after-hours party at the Soul of Afrika restaurant. When a fight broke out between employees, many partygoers left, but Hatchett and his companions stayed behind to help clean up. Afterward, the four men left in a white Nissan Altima. They were followed from the parking lot by a black Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck. As they waited at a red light at the intersection of South Rainbow Boulevard and Westcliff Drive, the truck pulled alongside them, and its occupants opened fire.

The Nissan was riddled with at least 16 bullets. All four men were hit, but one of the wounded, Jordan Youngblood, managed to drive them to MountainView Hospital. Due to the severity of their injuries, Kieron Hatchett and De’Marcco Alexander were transferred to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Hatchett died later that day from two gunshot wounds to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide. Alexander survived injuries to his eye and hands, Travis Montgomery suffered a fractured femur, and Youngblood had a graze wound on his thigh.

The investigation soon revealed the shooting was an act of retaliation. Police believed the intended target was De'Marcco Alexander, who, on August 13, 2021, had shot and killed a man named Anthony Emilian in an altercation that was deemed an act of self-defense. Using an anonymous tip, surveillance footage, and Snapchat archives, investigators pieced together a plan for revenge. One Snapchat message from a suspect read, "The [expletive] that killed my brotha gonna die today."

On October 20, 2021, authorities arrested three people in connection with the shooting. They were identified as Mateo Facio, 21; Briana Matus, 20; and Exavian Diaz, 18, the brother of Anthony Emilian. Police alleged that Diaz had sent a photo of Alexander to Facio and Matus so they would know who to target, and that Matus’s truck was the vehicle used in the attack. The trio was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and three counts of attempted murder.

In September 2023, Mateo Facio and Briana Matus went to trial on 42 separate charges, including murder. Prosecutors presented evidence that included cell phone data placing the defendants near the crime scene and extensive social media correspondence. During closing arguments, the prosecution highlighted the barrage of bullets that struck the vehicle and its four occupants. The trial was the latest public development in the case as of September 2023.