Las Vegas police have charged Michael Coleman, 40, with three additional murders, suspecting him of being a hitman hired by those involved in a loan fraud scheme. Coleman, already in custody for a 2023 murder, now faces new charges related to the deaths of three more individuals. Investigators believe he was hired to target those who owed money in a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan operation.
Coleman was initially arrested in May 2023 for the murder of 48-year-old Kidada Stewart. Stewart was found shot outside a home in the southwest valley, leading police to Coleman after a traffic stop in Arizona hours later. As the investigation unfolded, detectives linked Coleman to a larger criminal operation involving loan fraud orchestrated by Carl Chester.
Chester allegedly obtained PPP loans on behalf of others, taking a cut of the funds for his services. When clients failed to pay him, Chester reportedly resorted to violence and hired Coleman to carry out the murders. Coleman would allegedly target not only the individuals who shorted Chester but also their family members if he could not get to the intended victims.
In addition to Stewart’s murder, police have now connected Coleman to the killings of Marcus Larry, 39, William Hill Jr., 54, and another gang-related murder. Larry was shot multiple times at a restaurant, and Hill was killed outside his home while working on his car. Police also linked Coleman to surveillance efforts used to track his victims.
Authorities continue to investigate the extent of the operation as Coleman faces multiple charges in these brutal killings.