🌱 Man Arrested For 4 Stabbings + Realtors Catfished By 'Wealthy' Man

Hello, neighbors! It's Friday in Las Vegas and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in our community.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny. High: 95 Low: 72.

Here are the top three stories in Las Vegas today:

1. Las Vegas police have arrested a man in the stabbings of four people experiencing homelessness. The suspect, Christopher Martell, was taken into custody Wednesday after he stabbed two people. The first known victim was killed on Sep. 14 while she slept and the second, a 74-year-old woman, was killed on Sep. 20. (Fox 5 Las Vegas)
2. A homeless aid group has dissolved after its cofounder allegedly stole thousands of dollars from the group. New Leaf Community, which builds small shelters for unhoused people, shared Joseph Lankowski has stolen over $36,000 in 10 months. The organization first shared news of its dissolution on social media on Sep. 8. (Subscription: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
3. Two Las Vegas real estate agents say they’ve been “catfished” by a man posing to be a wealthy buyer. The man had the two real estate agents write a cash offer on a $1.5 million dollar house which was accepted without any proof of funds. The man backed out of the deal, as he has with several others. (Fox 5 Las Vegas)

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Today in Las Vegas:

• Writers Meet Up At Summerlin Library (11:00 AM)
• Red Cross Blood Drive At Spring Valley Library (11:30 AM)
• 2022 Las Vegas Plant Festival At Arts District (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a new home? There are a handful of new houses available in and around Vegas. We particularly liked the pop of color in the Willowbury Drive home. (Las Vegas Patch)
• Last night, City Hall lit up purple for National Opioid Awareness Day. From 2010 to 2020, Nevada experienced an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths. (City of Las Vegas Government via Facebook)
• The Las Vegas Greek Food Festival is getting closer to its 50th anniversary. The annual event held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Spring Valley was likely the first food fest founded in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Weekly)

You're officially in the loop for today! See you tomorrow for another update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.