$10K reward offered for information on slain boy found near Las Vegas highway

These artist’s renderings created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and distributed on June 3, 2021, by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department depict a slain boy believed to be between the ages of 8 and 10 whose body was found on May 28, 2021, off a hiking trail between Las Vegas and rural Pahrump, Nev. Authorities offered a $10,000 reward to identify the child. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via AP)

by: Associated Press

Posted: Jun 3, 2021 / 12:50 PM PDT

Updated: Jun 3, 2021 / 12:50 PM PDT

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The FBI and Las Vegas police on Thursday released new facial images and offered up to $10,000 for information that helps identify a boy found dead near a highway and locate his killer.

“He’s someone’s son, someone’s grandson,” FBI Supervising Special Agent Jeremy Schwartz told reporters. “We’re counting on the public to help us with his identification.”

Hikers found the boy’s body shortly before dawn May 28 behind a bush off a trail near the main highway between Las Vegas and rural Pahrump, Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Spencer said.

The homicide team chief said it was clear the boy was killed but declined to say how or offer other details. He said school and child welfare officials, nearby police and federal Homeland Security and Border Patrol authorities have been involved in the effort to identify the boy.

Investigators narrowed his age to between 8 and 10, Spencer said, and he was heavy for his age and height, at 4 feet 11 inches (145 centimeters) and 123 pounds (56 kilograms).

He had a gap in his front teeth, Spencer said, and investigators believe he was from somewhere in southern Nevada or nearby California. His body was found near State Route 160 in the Mountain Springs area.

He was probably left after dark May 27, and Spencer asked drivers to contact authorities if they saw a vehicle parked or pulling off the mountain highway.

“Any information, regardless of how small, we will follow up on that, and that could be the tip that leads to the break in this case,” Spencer said.

Schwartz said people can contact the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov or by telephone at 800-CALL FBI.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak posted a plea on Twitter, saying, “Let’s help identify this child.”