Man convicted of a fatal explosion in Vegas who escaped from prison arrested by police

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Authorities say that a bomb-maker who was serving a life sentence for a fatal explosion that occurred outside of the Las Vegas Strip in 2007 has been arrested by the police after he fled from the Nevada jail where he was serving his term.

On Wednesday night, the Las Vegas Police Department said that they got information that a guy who matched the description of Porfirio Duarte-Herrera was in the neighborhood. According to a statement released by the department, officers took the individual into custody, validated his identity as Duarte-Herrera, and then arrested him.

Additional information wasn’t immediately shared by Las Vegas police.

After saying late Tuesday that his office discovered the fugitive had been gone from the medium-security jail since the beginning of the weekend, Governor Steve Sisolak launched an inquiry into the escape earlier.

The officials at the Southern Desert Correctional Center close to Las Vegas didn’t know that Duarte-Herrera, who is 42 years old, was gone until Tuesday morning, when they were doing a head count.

A motion-activated explosive concealed in a coffee cup and placed on top of a vehicle parked at the Luxor hotel and casino in 2010 led to the conviction of Nicaraguan native Duarte-Herrera for the murder of a hot dog stand seller.

Records reveal his co-defendant, Omar Rueda-Denvers, remained in detention. The Guatemalan man, now 47 years old, is serving a life term in a separate jail in Nevada for several crimes, including murder, attempted murder, possession of explosives, and others.

Records show his co-defendant, Omar Rueda-Denvers, remained in custody. The 47-year-old from Guatemala is serving a life sentence at a different Nevada prison for murder, attempted murder, explosives and other charges.

According to the prosecution, envy was the driving force behind the assault that took place on the second floor of a parking garage. The blast initially raised fears of a terrorist attack on the Strip.