A Las Vegas man killed by a neighbor suffered a mental health crisis before the shooting, family says

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man who police say was killed by his neighbor in Summerlin last week was in a mental health crisis the night of the shooting, according to the victim’s family.

Joe Moreno, 47, is remembered by his mother, Connie Moreno, and one of his 10 siblings, Lisa Moreno, as a bundle of energy who loved sports and helping the homeless and his two children. They also recount an internal struggle that raged within him for decades.

“He was 25 when they diagnosed him,” Connie said with dried tears on her cheeks at the 8 News Now studios Wednesday afternoon. “His condition has continued to deteriorate over the last six months.”

Joe was treated for years because of a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, his mother and daughter said. The National Institute of Mental Health says the disease “causes unusual fluctuations in a person’s mood, energy, activity, and concentration” and “usually requires lifelong treatment.”

Although Joe was undergoing treatment, his family claims he had drifted away from it in the days leading up to the shooting.

“He liked to exercise a lot and (the medication) made him so tired that he didn’t want to go outside. That wasn’t his thing. Then when he took it and he felt better, he thought, ‘Oh, I don’t have to take it anymore,'” Lisa said, clutching a tear-soaked tissue.

“He started breaking things,” Connie added, discussing how he typically behaved during episodes.

Joe recently moved to Summerlin with a romantic partner who Connie says she stays in touch with frequently. Police said she locked him out of her home the night of the shooting. His mother adds that this was a common method of calming Joe while he was experiencing an episode.

His two children with another partner, ages 8 and 10, do not live in Las Vegas. Lisa says her mother told them the news nearly a week after the shooting.

“He will never see his daughters again. They will never see their father again. “That’s not fair,” Lisa said, wiping tears from her eyes. “He shouldn’t have lost his life because of mental illness.”

Eddi Moreno, 32, is accused of killing him on the night of May 13th. Although they share the same last name, there is no relationship other than the property line that separates their Summerlin homes. Police said they were neighbors.

In 911 calls obtained by 8 News Now, Eddi’s wife told officers that Joe was acting strangely outside their home on the way home from a sports game. She claimed he exposed his genitals in front of their five children, provoking Eddi into firing the gun he already had in the car they were driving home.

Other police documents obtained by 8 News Now said Eddi did not confirm his wife’s story and told officers he did not remember seeing Joe expose himself. However, according to police, he was quoted in doorbell camera footage telling Joe, “I’m going to murder you,” before gunfire ensued.

8 News Now has since learned that Eddi has been charged with assault three times in 2024 alone: ​​once in April for assaulting a landscaper in his neighborhood and two more for hitting a man during a children’s soccer game in January. He now faces an open murder charge in the May shooting and was released from jail on bail last week.

A group of Eddi’s friends told 8 News Now they collectively raised the necessary 15% of the $100,000 bail needed to get him released. They say Eddi works as a trainer in an MMA boxing studio.

“I’m so angry I heard he was out. I am so angry. “For example, my brother’s life is only worth $100,000?” Lisa said. “You exaggerated. You shot my brother five times, there was no danger to you at all.”

“He directly murdered my son and he must definitely be charged with murder,” Connie added.

Until Eddi’s next court date in August, the Moreno family is still at the very beginning of their grieving process.

“He was the guy that when he walked into a room he just had to smile, you know?” Connie said through tears. “I’m just angry, angry and hurt that the justice system isn’t giving him justice.”

“I just hope (the courts) get down to business with all these other cases and see how violent (Eddi) was,” Lisa said. “There was no need to take a piece of our hearts.”

The family says they are unable to afford the funeral and “the services he deserves.” Lisa has started a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising enough money to bury him instead of cremating him.