Sheriff Joe Lombardo was called by the Nevada Athletic Commission to appear at their bi-monthly hearing on October 18 to speak on the death of 20-year-old UNLV student Nathan Valencia during an unsanctioned charity boxing match in 2021—but he was nowhere to be found. 

Instead, Lombardo sent a letter to Deputy Attorney Joel Bekker asserting that the last meeting, which was attended by Chief LaRochelle on behalf of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, was “not conducted professionally.”

The letter also stated that today’s meeting wouldn’t be conducted differently. The letter goes on to say that “On September 12, 2022, Undersheriff Darcy reached out to the Attorney General’s office and offered the cooperation assistance of LVMPD. No reply has been received.” The letter is signed by Attorney Liesl Freedman.

“So they’re going to attorneys now. When in doubt, go to your council and don’t talk,” responded Chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck.

“It was unproductive because they didn’t do their work. The Sheriff promised me in December 2021 on the phone. In fact, after I talked to the DA, Steve Wolfson, I gave the Sheriff another chance. They promised me that the Sheriff would come through and the Sheriff promised.

The Sheriff says, ‘it appears we have no intention to conduct this meeting any differently.’ No, we’re conducting it professionally. What’s not professional is Metro not doing its job. The Sheriff is not doing his job. He promised me in text he would follow up and do his job. Why is it not really his job? 

“The letter goes on to say that on September 12, 2022, almost a year later. Remember, this was last November. Unfortunately, this young man named Nathan Valencia died right before his 21st birthday.

UnderSheriff Darcy reached out to the Attorney General’s office and offered the cooperation and assistance of Metro. And the sheriff says through counsel, ‘no reply has been received.’ Well, first off, let me state as the chairman of the Athletic Commission. It is not the attorney general’s job to investigate a local homicide in Clark County. It is the Sheriff department’s job—not a state job. The state has to do an investigation here because the Sheriff’s department did not do it. Why would the sheriff not care about a 20-year-old death?”

Could it be politically motivated? “Trumpian Deny and Deflect”

Story developing …