Family of West Valley couple shot, killed on Las Vegas Strip speak out

LAS VEGAS — A West Valley couple was murdered in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip last Sunday, authorities said.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said officers patrolling an area near the Bellagio fountains heard gunshots around 10:40 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. They found two people who had been shot, but the alleged shooter had run away.

The couple, identified by family as Rodney and Tanisha Finley, were in Nevada for his birthday.

“They were literally soulmates,” their daughter Rakia Finley said. 

The couple’s four children told 12News their mother always put her family first.

“She was loving. She was caring. She was always there for us,” their son Rodney Finley said. 

The children said their father made every moment special.

“He was just the funny guy that everyone loved, and he made a big impact wherever he went,” Rodney Finley said.

The Finleys loved Las Vegas, which became like a second home for the couple, and documented their travels there on YouTube.

The couple was streaming live on the video-sharing platform when the shooting happened. The video showed a man pulling out a gun and firing several times.

Police said the man, identified as 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz, initially ran off but turned himself in the next day. He’s facing two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon. 

According to reporting by the NBC affiliate in Las Vegas, Ruiz is being held without bail after allegedly telling detectives he fired in self-defense. He believed the couple was armed, but police said no guns were found or seen in the video posted online.

Police said this appears to be a targeted incident, adding the suspect and victims seemingly knew of each other and had prior conflicts online.

The Finleys left a lasting impact on their online community and will leave an even bigger hole in the hearts of their loving family.

“They’re just two beautiful people and I want them to never be forgotten,” Rodney Finley said.

To support the family, you can visit their GoFundMe page here.

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