Suspect in fatal shooting of woman and toddler makes first Las Vegas court appearance

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The suspect in connection with a double homicide is officially back in Las Vegas after an arrest in Utah earlier this year.

Ziaire Ham had his initial appearance in Clark County District Court Thursday morning.

Ham is accused of shooting and killing a 20-year-old woman and a 1-year-old in a south valley neighborhood on Monday, March 2.

Police say 20-year-old Danaijha Robinson and 1-year-old Nhalani Hiner were parked just off Dean Martin Drive, waiting for friends they were traveling with who had been pulled over by officers about a block away.

WATCH | New 911 calls detail the moments that followed deadly south valley shooting:

According to court documents, Nhalani's mother asked Robinson to stay in the car with the baby while she and another woman went to help their friend.

Nearly an hour after the women parked, police say Ham pulled into the neighborhood, waited in his car for a few minutes, then walked up to the victims' car, tried to open it and opened fire.

Police say Ham drove off after the shooting. Moments later, Nahlani's mother found the baby wrapped in Robinson's arms — both fighting for their lives. They died at the hospital.

Nearly a day after the shooting, police in Utah arrested Ham following a short police chase on two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and shooting into an occupied structure/vehicle.

Ham's hearing in Las Vegas was rescheduled to June 11 after his attorney said he was not prepared to proceed.

During Thursday's hearing, the prosecution did say that they would not be seeking the death penalty.