Las Vegas NowOff-Duty Las Vegas Metro Police Officer Murdered

Off-Duty Las Vegas Metro Police Officer Murdered

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nv. -- An off-duty Las Vegas Metro police officer was shot to death in an attempted robbery early Thursday morning. North Las Vegas Police are handling the investigation into the crime.

Investigators say 30-year-old Trevor Nettleton was shot to death after midnight and the crime appears to be random.

Officer Nettleton had been on the force for three years and had just returned home from working the swing shift when he was killed. He was working in his garage at the time of the shooting and his wife and two children were inside the home when he was shot.

At a news conference held Thursday afternoon, Sheriff Doug Gillespie expressed his feelings about the murder of one of his officers. "I just lost another member of my organization tragically. I'm doing as good as you are going to be under those circumstances," he said.

SLIDESHOW: Photos from the scene of the shooting

North Las Vegas Police say Nettleton was attacked inside his garage by multiple suspects. A neighbor called police to report hearing several gunshots coming from the home on Emerald Stone, near Donna Street and Washburn. There was an exchange of gunfire between the suspects and Nettleton before the victim was shot.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

One suspect, 18-year-old Prentice Marshall, was taken to UMC with a gunshot wound. He will be booked when he recovers. Another suspect, 20-year-old Saul Williams, Jr., was arrested and booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center.

A third suspect was arrested and booked early Friday morning. Police say a 17-year-old male has been charged with murder with a deadly weapon, attempt robbery with a weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery. Police are not releasing his name due to his age.

Nettleton leaves behind a wife and two young children. He was born in Quincy, Washington and grew up in Yakima, Washington.

According to Metro, Nettleton is a former United States Marine where he served for over nine years. Three years ago, Nettleton and his wife moved to Las Vegas when he was offered a position with Metro.

"(He) had a beautiful son and a daughter that was just born two months ago. He was always concerned about other people, and then other people took his life. I thought though his career would last 20 years. Now it's cut short," said Nettleton's father Richard.

During the last two years in the Marine Corps, Nettleton worked as part of the Presidential Honor Guard under President George W. Bush.That's where he met his wife.

LasVegasNOW.com will have the latest information as it becomes available.