Evidence: Suspect spoke to others about killing of man left in barrel in southeast Las Vegas

By Kim Passoth

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    LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — In evidence presented to a grand jury, prosecutors shared their case against Ryan Bentley, who they say is behind a grisly murder.

Evidence shared with the grand jury included pictures where investigators say the murder took place and the bullet holes through a garage door continuing through to the outside of a home.

On November 29, 2022, human remains including a head and a torso missing arms were found in a barrel near Palm Street and E. Quail Avenue along with a bottle of bleach. Police got a call from a Clark County Public Works contractor about the abandoned barrel. When the worker removed the lid to check for hazardous materials, he was hit with the stench of decomposing flesh. The victim, identified by the Clark County Coroner’s Office as Rene Olmos Enriquez Jr., was reported missing earlier in the month.

“They just got me on meth and mushrooms,” Bentley was recorded saying in a jailhouse call. A series of jailhouse calls were played for the grand jury.

The first calls were right after the murder and then later after he was released, disposed of the body in the barrel, and was again arrested.

“Have you been back?,” Bentley asked a woman.

“I haven’t. I umm I uh went past it,” she answered.

“The house is cleaned up,” Bentley also asked.

“Yeah,” she answered.

“Alright cool,” Bentley responded.

Police were called to the area when the murder happened for reported gunshots but there was no evidence at the time Bentley was the one who had fired the shots. Bentley was arrested for narcotics possession at that time.

Metro also issued a search warrant to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for Bentley’s online conversations. Investigators say they further prove his involvement. Here are some of his messages:

“I either need new sawzall blades or cash app so I can ride bike to buy some.”

“I just needed hor [hot] water to activate the lye,”

“Angelica was here… she help me fill up that drum.”

“Bro the s*** me and her had to do compared with cartel videos.”

A second suspect, Angelica Hudson, was charged with murder but the charges have since been dropped.

Bentley is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder and faces life in prison if convicted.

Police say Bentley believed the victim “snitched” on him to police days before the murder.

Bentley’s arraignment hearing was scheduled for Thursday, but it’s been continued. A new date has not yet been announced.

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