Teens charged with murder in fatal hit-and-run appear in Las Vegas court

Jesus Ayala, one of two suspects accused of mowing down a retired police chief in a fatal hit-and-run last month, appears in court at the Regional Justice Court, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS)
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LAS VEGAS — Two teens charged with murder and accused of filming themselves mowing down a retired police chief in a fatal hit-and-run last month appeared in court Tuesday morning.

Jesus Ayala, 18, and Jzamir Keys, 16, were formally charged Monday with murder, battery and attempted murder charges in connection with a series of alleged crimes from Aug. 14, which included the killing of 64-year-old Andreas Probst.

Ayala, who was 17 at the time of the hit-and-run, is accused of driving a stolen Hyundai Elantra and intentionally striking Probst as he rode his bicycle.

Keys filmed a disturbing video of the two laughing and planning to hit Probst, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

The two are also accused of filming themselves intentionally striking another bicyclist, and hitting a vehicle minutes before ramming into Probst, the report said.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said that it was “too early” to discuss whether prosecutors will pursue the death penalty, but that there is “probably not” a way to pursue capital punishment against the defendants due to their age.