A quiet morning walk in Las Vegas turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when a 75-year-old woman was fatally shot during an alleged robbery, leaving her older sister devastated and pleading for her not to die.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened on May 12 near South El Capitan Way and West Flamingo Road. Officers say two elderly sisters were taking their routine morning walk when a masked suspect approached them and demanded their belongings.
Police identified the victim as 75-year-old Hester Johnson. Her sister, 78-year-old Iredell Washington, survived the attack and later described the terrifying moments after the shooting.
Authorities said the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Devion Teague, allegedly confronted the sisters while mumbling demands through a mask. Investigators say one of the women hesitated during the robbery, and the suspect opened fire.
Johnson was shot during the encounter and collapsed at the scene. Washington told investigators she held her wounded sister in her arms while desperately begging her not to leave her.
“Don’t leave me here all by myself,” Washington recalled saying as her sister was bleeding beside her.
Police said the second sister handed over her belongings after the gunfire. The suspect then fled the area in a vehicle before officers arrived.
Emergency crews responded to the scene, but Johnson later died from her injuries.
Washington later spoke emotionally about the close bond she shared with her sister. She said the two were inseparable and followed the same morning routine every day.
“We would get up and go out and walk in the morning,” she said. “We would talk about what we were going to do throughout the day.”
Family members described Johnson as a caring and compassionate woman who dedicated much of her life to helping others. Washington said her sister volunteered with Opportunity Village, a nonprofit organization serving individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Las Vegas area.
According to her sister, Johnson even learned sign language so she could better communicate with and assist the people she worked with.
“She just loved helping people,” Washington said.
Investigators later identified Teague during the homicide investigation. Police said he was already facing separate charges connected to vehicle theft-related offenses before his arrest in this case.
Authorities have now charged him with one count of open murder with a deadly weapon and two counts of robbery with the use of a deadly weapon.
Court records show his next hearing is scheduled for July 1.
The case has deeply shaken the local community, with many expressing grief over the killing of an elderly woman during what should have been a peaceful morning walk. Police continue investigating the incident.
