Man accused of killing spouse, stepson inside Henderson dwelling
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The daddy of a younger man killed final yr believes his son died defending his household, including he hopes to vary the legislation to check for impairment in violent crimes.
Karl Groschen, 41, is accused of killing his spouse, Anastasiya Akutsina, 44; and his stepson, Sergei “Evan” Scoggins, 20, on Oct. 11, 2024, inside a Henderson dwelling close to Heat Springs Highway and Stephanie Avenue. A grand jury later indicted Groschen on costs of open homicide and baby abuse, data mentioned.
Andrew Scoggins, Evan’s organic father, suspects his son tried to guard his mom and half-brother in the course of the taking pictures.
“He didn’t leave his little brother, and he didn’t leave his mother,” Andrew Scoggins mentioned from his dwelling in North Carolina. Scoggins was abroad instructing in Vietnam when he realized of the murders.
The daddy of a younger man killed final yr believes his son died defending his household, including he hopes to vary the legislation to check for impairment in violent crimes. (KLAS)
Evan was finding out filmmaking on the School of Southern Nevada and dealing a part-time job at Taco Bell, his father mentioned.
“Evan heard gunshots and ran back inside,” Scoggins recalled about that day. He and Akutsina divorced when Evan was 3, Scoggins mentioned. After Akutsina married Groschen, the household moved to Nebraska and finally to the Las Vegas valley. Groschen and Akutsina later had a toddler collectively. The 5-year-old was not injured within the taking pictures.
Prosecutors and police consider Akutsina, Groschen and Evan argued within the dwelling’s storage earlier than the taking pictures. A neighbor advised police that she overheard Groschen telling Evan to “get the [expletive] out of here” and noticed Groschen pushing Evan outdoors towards his automobile, paperwork mentioned.
“What do you do for your mom? Anything, you know,” he mentioned about his son’s actions.
Karl Groschen, 41, is accused of killing his spouse, Anastasiya Akutsina, 44; and his stepson, Evans Scoggins, 20, on Oct. 11 inside a Henderson dwelling close to Heat Springs Highway and Stephanie Avenue. (KLAS)
Just a few seconds later, the witness heard a gunshot within the storage and noticed Evan run into the house. The witness then advised police she heard a number of extra gunshots after which silence.
“Divorce was looked into,” Scoggins mentioned about Anastasia. “Anastasia, according to Evan, had sought counsel and a divorce lawyer.”
“There’s two dead bodies, you’ve got to arrest me,” he mentioned. “You’ve got to take me. I thought they were trying to kill me.”
Police nor prosecutors have supplied no proof the shootings have been in self-defense. Each Akutsina and Evan appeared to have been shot at shut vary a number of instances.
Scoggins mentioned Evan feared Groschen could be violent. In a single message Evan despatched to his father, he warns if he doesn’t obtain a pupil mortgage: “Things won’t be good for me.”
“The anger won’t bring my son back it will give him a small taste of what things have been be like for me and my family and for Anastasia’s family more importantly,” Scoggins mentioned.
Physique digital camera video reveals Groschen strolling out of the house and towards officers carrying prescription remedy, Scoggins mentioned. He desires to vary the legislation so police can get a greater perceive of what could also be in an individual’s blood on the time they’re arrested for a violent crime.
Karl Groschen, 41, has pleaded not responsible to 2 counts of homicide. (KLAS)
“I think with violent crime in general, it’s important to understand someone’s state of mind,” Scoggins mentioned.
The method is just not normal as a result of officers haven’t any possible trigger.
“There’s a lot of questions that we can just check the box with toxicology,” Scoggins mentioned.
Thieves stole electronics, furnishings and Evan’s and Akutsina’s vehicles, Scoggins mentioned.
Henderson police mentioned the Fourth Modification prohibits taking an individual’s blood for testing besides when impairment is suspected to have effected against the law:
A blood take a look at or a toxicology take a look at is taken into account a search, which is topic to 4th Modification safety. For legislation enforcement to acquire one of these testing, there would must be possible trigger to acquire a search warrant.
The idea of possible trigger features a necessity for there to be proof that may be recovered. Impairment on this case is just not thought of proof as a result of impairment is just not a component for the crime of homicide. Distinction this to a DUI case, the place it particularly hinges on the factor of impairment.
Moreover, if the weather of a particular crime states that we should get hold of blood take a look at or toxicology take a look at to find out impairment, it might be helpful to the investigation.
This may not be one thing we’d change inside our coverage to acquire such checks.
Workplace of Public Data, Henderson Police Dept.
Groschen has pleaded not responsible. A decide was anticipated to schedule his trial throughout a listening to Wednesday.
