Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Clarence Martin, Jr.
A Las Vegas Man is accused of throwing his 2-month-old baby daughter, London, off of a two-story balcony, on October 24, killing her. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrest affidavit, Clarence Edward Martin, 32, then set the apartment on fire saying, “burn, b****, burn … this is what you get for cheating on me.”
According to the arrest report the mother, Nicole Poole, told police that Martin said he’d had mental health issues when they started dating four years ago, but Poole had never seen him have any problems. However, she also told police he hadn’t eaten or slept in the last three days.
After throwing his daughter to her death and starting a fire his family’s apartment, police say Martin jumped in Poole’s 2015 white Mercedes-Benz and drove off, hitting several other cars in the course of his getaway.
The arrest report says Martin ended up at McCarran International Airport where he was trying to break into a secured area and was not wearing a shirt. An employee questioned him on it and he “crawled onto the baggage conveyor belt that entered into the secure area of the airport,” according to the affidavit.
Still on the run, Martin managed to find a TSA Security shirt in a break room, according to the affidavit, but he took off his pants. By now police were searching for him. Another employee saw Martin loading items into an airport work van and alerted law enforcement, who tracked him down near the van.
When police got to him he was yelling, “Burn B****! Jeffreys Street, Jeffreys Street!” — which was where he lived with Poole and their newborn daughter.
Martin Grabbed the Baby Out of Her Mother’s Arms Before Throwing Her Off the Balcony
According to the police report, Poole told police she was woken at about 1 a.m. by Martin kicking her and London, who was sleeping with them in their bed. He kicked them onto the floor and Poole got up with the baby and went to the living room and sat on the couch in the living room holding the infant.
Martin took the baby from Poole and went out to the balcony. He came back inside empty-handed, Poole told police.
The mother immediately ran outside to find her baby on the ground below in the parking lot. She ran downstairs and grabbed her tiny daughter and ran, thinking Martin was chasing her, according to the arrest affidavit.
At some point after she ran, she called 911. A neighbor came to help and they tried to revive the baby, but London succumbed to her injuries, which the Clark County coroner said was blunt force head trauma, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Martin Is Being Held In a Psychiatric Ward
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Martin missed his first court appearance because he was being held in psychiatric ward at the Clark County Detention Center.
Court records show that Martin’s charges include open murder, first-degree arson willful/malicious/torture and maiming of a cat, dog or animal, and battery on a protected person. Police said there was a poodle who died in the apartment fire.
A Go-Fund-Me is set up to help Poole in the aftermath of the tragedy in which she lost her baby, her fiance, her home, and the family dog. It says, in part:
…We were completely blindsided and are still in shock this is even a reality. Our sweet London was horrifically taken from us, and all at once, all our lives have been changed forever.
Our beloved daughter, little sister, granddaughter and niece was born August 26, 2020. Her life was tragically cut short in the early morning of October 24th, 2020…As you can imagine, her mother Nicole Poole is absolutely devastated.
Please, please pray for healing and strength for Nicole, and our entire family. Rest In Heaven our precious baby London. You will always hold a special place in all our hearts. You were treasured and loved before we even knew you sweet baby girl. Even if for only a short time, you were our beautiful little princess. Our hearts are completely broken. London was a happy, healthy baby girl!
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