Man accused of killing grandmother and 2 others allegedly wanted to 'put them in garbage disposal'

LAS VEGAS (TCD) -- A 30-year-old man accused of killing three people in an apartment and living with two of their bodies for days could face the death penalty if he is convicted.

On June 27, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to an apartment complex on the 9100 block of West Flamingo Road about a man attacking people. When police arrived, they found a man suffering non-life-threatening injuries in the leasing office. They then conducted a welfare check at Spencer McDonald’s apartment and found three deceased individuals inside.

Police arrested McDonald on an open count of murder.

Clark County court records show McDonald is now being charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon — victim over 60 years of age, two counts of murder with use of a deadly weapon, and one count of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon.

KLAS-TV reports the three victims were identified as 80-year-old Dina Vail, 43-year-old Andrew Graden, and 45-year-old Chris Brassard. Vail was reportedly McDonald’s grandmother and Graden was her boyfriend. Brassard, a maintenance worker, was killed while conducting a welfare check at the apartment.

According to KLAS, Graden and Vail’s bodies were discovered inside a bedroom and Brassard was in the living room. Investigators reportedly found two maces, a sword, and a knife inside the apartment.

Homicide Detective Lawrence Samples testified at a grand jury hearing that McDonald described the killings as "putting them out of their misery, as an honorable deed, and then didn’t give any other clarification or justification as to why."

McDonald allegedly said he didn’t call anyone after reportedly killing the victims, and he had a plan to "chop them up with an ax and put them in the garbage disposal, but then he realized that was probably going to be a little bit more work than he planned on."

Following the killings, McDonald reportedly continued "just kind of going about his weekend" by getting coffee and going to the gym, KVVU-TV reports.

Detective Jennifer Santiago also testified at the hearing and spoke about finding a butcher knife on the carpet and a sword on Vail’s bed. There was also a serrated knife, but investigators did not find any blood evidence on it. Drag marks in the apartment reportedly led to the two bodies in the bedroom.

According to KVVU, Santiago said Vail suffered "numerous sharp force injuries to her face" and the left side of her body. Graden was found with stab wounds to his chest and blunt force trauma on his head and neck. Santiago said a blunt instrument "struck the top of his head causing it to split," adding it was "cracked like an egg."

McDonald allegedly spoke about killing his grandmother and told detectives "how surprised he was how long the body continues to move after."

Records show prosecutors filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

KVVU reports the grand jury returned an indictment one minute after deliberating.

MORE:

• State of Nevada vs. Spencer McDonald
• Grand jury indicts Las Vegas triple homicide suspect - KLAS
• Crime scene photos reveal more about Las Vegas triple homicide - KLAS
• Las Vegas detectives describe gruesome crime scene in triple-homicide grand jury testimony - KVVU
• Las Vegas police find 3 deceased victims in apartment after responding to different stabbing call, 6/29/2023 - TCD