Las Vegas YouTuber Shooting: Online Feud Turns Deadly on the Strip

A bitter online rivalry between two Las Vegas-based YouTubers has tragically escalated into a real-world crime, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. Manuel "Manny" Ruiz is facing charges of open murder with a deadly weapon in connection with the shooting deaths of Rodney Finley and his wife, Tanisha Finley. The incident occurred near the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip on June 8th.

Ruiz, 41, surrendered to authorities the following day and is currently claiming self-defense. Law enforcement officials have indicated that the conflict between Ruiz and Finley stemmed from a long-standing feud that began in October 2023.

The police report reveals that Ruiz alleged Finley had made disparaging remarks about him and his wife online. Furthermore, Ruiz stated that he had a recent physical altercation with Finley, resulting in a battery citation and an upcoming court date. Ruiz's wife corroborated the harassment, stating they had received verbal threats and hate mail related to their YouTube channel.

According to witness accounts, both Ruiz and Finley were livestreaming on their respective YouTube channels at the time of the shooting. One witness described seeing Ruiz appear on Finley's livestream, draw a weapon, and fire multiple shots. After Tanisha Finley grabbed the phone, more gunshots were reportedly heard before the phone fell to the ground, continuing to stream until police arrived and ended the recording.

In his defense, Ruiz claims that Tanisha Finley was behaving aggressively, and he believed Rodney Finley was reaching for a weapon in his waistband. After shooting Rodney, he says he perceived a "shiny black object" in Tanisha's hand and fired at her as well. Ruiz maintained to investigators that he acted in self-defense and was unaware that the Finleys were livestreaming.

However, investigators who reviewed video footage of the incident noted that it "clearly shows Manny (Ruiz) advancing towards" the Finleys. The victims, Rodney Finley, 44, and Tanisha Finley, 43, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A GoFundMe campaign established by Tanisha Finley's brother describes the couple as "soulmates" and states that they leave behind four children. The fundraiser aims to support the family during this difficult time. The case remains under investigation.