$1M bail set for suspect accused of breaking into Brandon Durham’s home

A Las Vegas judge set a $1 million bail on Monday for the suspect in an alleged home invasion that led to police shooting and killing the homeowner.

Alejandra Boudreaux, 31, is charged with home invasion, assault constituting domestic violence, child abuse, and disregarding the safety of a person resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. Earlier this month, 43-year-old Brandon Durham called 911 to report that Boudreaux had broken into his house, but when police arrived, Metropolitan Police Department officer Alexander Bookman shot and killed Durham.

Several of Durham’s friends and relatives attended Monday’s court hearing wearing purple shirts reading “Justice for Brandon.” A few people were heard applauding when the judge announced she was setting Boudreaux’s bail at $1 million.

“I think there’s some relief in the fact that there’s justice in motion, but we haven’t achieved justice yet,” attorney Cannon Lambert, one of the lawyers representing Durham’s family, told reporters after the hearing.

Durham’s family and friends have called for officials to arrest and prosecute Bookman in connection with the shooting.

Body camera footage that has been released by Metro showed Bookman, 26, walking into the house and finding Durham, who was in his underwear, struggling with Boudreaux over a knife. Bookman yelled “drop the knife” and then immediately opened fire, stepping forward and continuing to shoot Durham as he fell to the ground, the video showed. Police said Bookman fired his gun six times.

Bail arguments

Prosecutors argued for the judge to set bail for Boudreaux at $1 million, acknowledging that she likely could not afford to post the required percentage of bail to a bondsman. Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani said the bail would be “tantamount to a detention order,” but argued that Boudreaux is a threat to the community and has “gone to extreme measure” in an attempt to die by suicide.

“The defendant made the conscious and deliberate decision to commit suicide by cop,” Giordani said when describing the home invasion.

Boudreaux was briefly in the courtroom on Monday until marshals led her out of the room. Defense attorney Lauria Lynch-German told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Amy Wilson that Boudreaux declined to be present for the hearing.

Giordani also argued that Boudreaux had “at least five prior felonies” in five different states on battery, domestic violence and assault charges. The judge later noted that the cases from other jurisdictions were not recorded in Boudreaux’s risk-assessment paperwork provided to the court.

According to a police report, Boudreaux told police she had a casual sexual relationship with Durham, and grew angry with him before the shooting over a canceled airplane ticket. Boudreaux went to confront Durham at his house, and “decided that she was going to die,” according to the report.

Boudreaux wanted to be shot by police, and intentionally grabbed knives “to commit suicide by law enforcement in front of Durham after threatening him,” according to the report.

Lynch-German argued on Monday that Boudreaux, who is a Seattle resident, is not financially able to flee Las Vegas if released on bail.

“A million-dollar bail is ridiculous,” the attorney told the judge.

She also questioned Boudreaux’s mental health since the shooting.

“I think that we are dealing with someone who, based on my limited time with her, is not processing what is happening to her in any meaningful, intelligent way,” Lynch-German said.

Ongoing investigation

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he would not make a decision about whether to prosecute Bookman until Metro has finished its investigation into the shooting, which is expected to take at least several weeks.

“I don’t expect to receive the very voluminous file for at least a number of weeks, if not a month or two,” Wolfson told reporters on Monday. “I can’t, nor should I, make a decision until I have all of the evidence. And once I have all of the evidence, I apply the law to the facts in making my decision.”

Lambert continued to push for a quick decision from officials on Monday, pointing to Bookman previously being dispatched to Durham’s home and the body camera footage of the incident.

“Our eyes don’t lie, the video doesn’t lie,” Lambert said.

Police records show that just over 24 hours before the shooting, Durham had called police to trespass a “house guest.” Bookman responded to that call, records show.

The person’s name was redacted in dispatch audio released by police, but is referred to as “Marie” on the computer-aided dispatch report. Marie is Alejandra Boudreaux’s middle name, court records show.

Wolfson said it was “undisputed” that Bookman was previously at Durham’s home and had an “interaction, to a certain degree,” with Durham and Boudreaux.

“I wish it was as straightforward as a 10- or 15-second snippet of video,” Wolfson said. “It’s not. I want to make the right decision, so I’m going to look at everything.”

Durham’s sister, Diane Wright, told reporters on Monday that Bookman should be standing next to Boudreaux in court.

“Charges need to be filed,” she said. “This is wrong. Anybody with eyes can see — this is wrong.”

If you are thinking about suicide, or are worried about a loved one or friend, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Lifeline network at 988. Live chat is available at 988lifeline.org.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.