Police Lt. Believed to Have Killed Family, Set Home on Fire Before Committing Suicide
Lt. Hans Walters is believed to be responsible for killing his wife and son before taking his own life and setting their home on fire. Police are now searching for answers as to why Walters would do such a thing.
"He didn't seem out of the ordinary at all. Cops are pretty intuitive. They can tell when something's wrong with someone. He seemed totally fine," an anonymous officer told The Las Vegas Review-Journal about Walters. "You just wonder how and why this could happen."
Police believe that Walters killed his wife, Kathryn, who was also a police officer, before killing their son. He then allegedly called police to tell them he had shot his wife and son and was preparing to set his house on fire; police spokesman Keith Paul also said the man threatened to harm responding officers.
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When first responders arrived at the home, Walters emerged from the burning home carrying a weapon.
"I did not do this," he yelled, according to a neighbor. Rescuers encouraged him to come forward and put the weapon down, but Walters did not respond and instead went back into the home and killed himself.
By the time police were able to enter the building, what they found were three bodies. The coroner has not officially released the names of the deceased, but preliminary reports state that they were of Walters, Kathryn, and son Max.
"We're investigating the incident as a murder-suicide at this time," Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul told reporters during a press conference.
"There was an incident today involving one of Metro's lieutenants. Several bodies were discovered," Sheriff Douglas Gillespie added at the conference. "I urge you to wait and allow the facts to come forward first," he noted.
"We will stand by your side and move through this unspeakable grief and support you any way he can," Gillespie said.
