Tanisha Finley, Rodney Finley Obituary, Death – Two people fatally shot over the weekend on the Las Vegas Strip had been livestreaming the tragic incident on their shared YouTube channel, according to a police report. The victims, identified by the Clark County coroner’s office, were 43-year-old Tanisha Finley and 44-year-old Rodney Finley. Both were pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Las Vegas police said the shooting occurred Sunday night near the Bellagio fountains, a major tourist attraction. Authorities believe the act of violence stemmed from a long-standing personal feud between the victims and the suspect, dating back to at least 2023 and fueled by conflicts on social media.
The suspect, 41-year-old Manuel D. Ruiz, turned himself in Monday morning at a police station outside Las Vegas. Ruiz, known on YouTube as “Sin City Manny,” was charged with two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon. He remains in custody without bail. On Thursday, Ruiz appeared in court, as reported by CBS affiliate KLAS-TV.
In the arrest report, Ruiz allegedly claimed self-defense, saying he believed one of the Finleys was reaching for a weapon. However, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson rejected this claim during a press conference, stating, “I think it’s probably garbage. There’s no indication from any of the evidence at all that self-defense would be a viable defense.” He confirmed that no weapons were found on or near the victims. Wolfson also mentioned prosecutors are considering pursuing the death penalty in the case.
The police report outlines that the shooting was recorded during a livestream on the Finleys’ YouTube channel. In the footage, Ruiz can be seen drawing a gun from his waistband and firing five to six shots. Shortly after, one or two additional gunshots are heard, while Tanisha Finley appears to grab the phone used to stream the video. The camera eventually falls to the ground and stays still until a police officer appears and shuts off the stream.
The couple’s son was among several individuals who called 911 to report the shooting. In an emotional call, he said, “I heard gunshots around him. I think he might have got shot, so I was just trying to check and make sure, just try to see if he’s OK or where he’s at.”
Ruiz admitted during his police interview that he, too, was livestreaming from the Strip that night and said the confrontation escalated when he thought one of the Finleys was reaching for a weapon. Despite his claims, investigators confirmed that neither victim was armed.
The incident occurred in one of the busiest and most heavily visited areas of Las Vegas. The Bellagio fountains, a popular attraction where the shooting occurred, draw large crowds regularly, especially on weekend evenings.
Rodney Finley’s mother, Gracie Kennedy, told CBS affiliate KPHO-TV that the conflict between her son and Ruiz had been growing online. “I told my son, ‘Come on, this is getting too far. Calm it down, calm it down,’” she said. Unfortunately, the warnings went unheeded, ending in a senseless tragedy that was broadcast live for the world to see.
