Nevada Tom . Nevada Tom .

She wrote with the blood of the 3 year old she just murdered.

On March 26, 2025, Marketta Phillips, 41, allegedly stabbed 3-year-old Journei Ross to death in Las Vegas while babysitting. The suspect, the on-and-off girlfriend of Journei’s father, fled after writing bloody messages like "Everybody who played me is cursed." Phillips confessed to the revenge killing. Held without bail, she faces open murder charges. Full story and updates here.

On March 26, 2025, at approximately 3:36 a.m., Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers responded to a stabbing report at an apartment in the 4200 block of Channel 10 Drive, near Flamingo Road and Eastern Avenue in the central Las Vegas Valley. The call came from Jeremy Ross, the father of the victim, who returned home from work to a horrific scene. Officers found a 3-year-old girl, later identified as Journei Ross, suffering from multiple stab wounds inside the apartment. Despite efforts by Ross, responding officers, and medical personnel to save her life, Journei was transported to Sunrise Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed her cause of death as multiple stab wounds, ruling it a homicide.

The suspect, 41-year-old Marketta Phillips, was arrested near the scene shortly after fleeing the apartment. She was charged with open murder with a deadly weapon and booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where she is being held without bail.

The Suspect and Her Relationship to the Victim

Marketta Phillips was not only the babysitter for Journei Ross but also had a personal connection to the child’s father, Jeremy Ross. Jeremy described Phillips as his "on-and-off girlfriend" and roommate, noting that she had been living with him and Journei in the apartment for about a year. He had entrusted Phillips with babysitting Journei on numerous occasions, including the night of March 25, when he left for work around 6 p.m. Jeremy stated he had no prior indication of Phillips’ instability, saying, "I didn’t know she was a crazy case." However, reports indicate that police had been called to the apartment twice before: once in October 2024 for a family disturbance and again on March 16, 2025, for a "sick or injured person," suggesting possible prior issues.

Journei’s mother, Phalan Whitson, who shared custody with Jeremy, had never met Phillips until seeing her in court. She expressed shock and grief, stating, "Today was literally the first day I’ve ever seen this woman in my life. This is crazy, she took my baby."

The Crime Scene and Evidence

When Jeremy Ross returned home around 3:30 a.m. on March 26, he found Phillips in the kitchen, covered in blood and surrounded by multiple knives, with a cut on her hand. Initially thinking she had injured herself while cooking, he went to check on Journei and discovered her unresponsive on a bed, bleeding profusely. He immediately began chest compressions and called 911, during which he can be heard screaming at Phillips, "What the f— did you do? You murdered my baby!" Phillips fled the scene as he was on the phone with dispatchers.

Police found a disturbing array of evidence in the apartment. Multiple kitchen knives and a pair of scissors with apparent blood on them were recovered. Three sheets of paper with messages written in red marker were laid out from the hallway to the bedroom, reading: "See what happens when you f— with people’s lives," "Your and idiot [sic]," and "Now we both have nothing." Most chillingly, a message written in what appeared to be blood on the bedroom wall stated, "Everybody who played me is cursed." These notes and the bloody message suggest a premeditated act driven by personal grievances.

Journei suffered at least 10 stab wounds to her torso, legs, and neck, indicating the brutality of the attack. Phillips later confessed to detectives that she "snapped" and stabbed Journei "more than once" with a knife, admitting it was an act of revenge "to get back at" Jeremy Ross, though she did not elaborate further on her motive. She also made rambling statements about being homeless, people "messing with her," and prostitution, and claimed she was suicidal, having taken sleeping pills and attempted to hang herself, though these attempts were unsuccessful.

The 911 Calls and Immediate Aftermath

Emotional 911 recordings released by police on March 31, 2025, capture the anguish of Journei’s parents. In the first call at 3:34 a.m., Jeremy frantically told the dispatcher, "My baby isn’t breathing anymore. A crazy girl cut my baby up. She’s bleeding everywhere." He continued CPR as instructed while yelling at Phillips, who then fled. In a second call, Phalan Whitson, informed by Jeremy of the tragedy, was driving to the scene, pleading, "Please, can I see my baby?" Her cries of despair are audible as she arrived at the apartment.

Neighbors reported hearing commotion, including yelling and arguing, from the apartment complex that morning, though no one intervened before police arrived.

Legal Proceedings

Marketta Phillips made her first court appearance on March 27, 2025, before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum. The hearing lasted less than a minute, during which Phillips was informed of the open murder charge and ordered held without bail due to probable cause. Her next court appearance was scheduled for April 1, 2025. Phillips has a minor prior legal history, including a 2021 charge for "engaging in lewd conduct in a public place," which was dismissed after a warning. Additionally, just a week before the murder, on March 19, 2025, Phillips was placed on a 72-hour involuntary mental health hold ("Legal 2000") following a mental health crisis at the same apartment, indicating potential instability.

The Victim: Journei Ross

Journei Ross was a 3-year-old girl described by her mother, Phalan Whitson, as "very bright" and capable of lighting up any room. She was on the autism spectrum, non-verbal, and communicated through music and sign language, with a particular love for singing. Journei would have turned 4 in July 2025. Her father, Jeremy, emphasized her innocence, saying, "She was defenseless. She deserved to live." The loss has left both parents devastated, with Phalan demanding justice and Jeremy grappling with guilt over trusting Phillips.

Context and Broader Implications

This incident marks one of at least eight domestic violence-related homicides in the LVMPD’s jurisdiction in 2025, a 50% increase from the same period in 2024. The police have responded to over 3,800 domestic violence calls this year alone, highlighting a troubling trend in the region. LVMPD Lieutenant Robert Price described the event as an "isolated incident" but "very tragic and unfortunate," assuring the public there was no ongoing threat.

The case has shaken the Las Vegas community, raising questions about trust, mental health, and the safety of children in caregiving arrangements. Journei’s death underscores the critical need for better vetting of individuals entrusted with vulnerable dependents and awareness of warning signs in domestic relationships.

Current Status

As of March 31, 2025, Marketta Phillips remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, awaiting further legal proceedings. The investigation continues, with authorities yet to release additional details about Phillips’ mental state or the specific events leading up to the stabbing. Journei’s parents continue to mourn, supported by family and friends, as they seek justice for their daughter.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of trust and the devastating consequences when it is misplaced.





Sorces

FOX5 Vegas - "Arrest report reveals new details in a gruesome killing of 3-year-old Journei Ross"

  • Updated: March 27, 2025

  • URL: https://www.fox5vegas.com

  • Details: Provided updates on the arrest report, Phillips’ mental health crisis prior to the incident, and initial police findings.

  1. Las Vegas Review-Journal - "911 calls capture moments after 3-year-old stabbed to death in Las Vegas"

  2. Las Vegas Review-Journal - "Las Vegas parents of fatally stabbed 3-year-old discuss case after suspect’s hearing"

  3. KTNV Channel 13 - "Woman reportedly 'snapped' before killing Las Vegas 3-year-old, arrest report says"

  4. KTNV Channel 13 - "Babysitter arrested in Las Vegas 3-year-old's stabbing death will be held without bail, judge orders"

  5. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) - Press Release

  6. 8 News Now (KLAS-TV) - "Las Vegas woman accused of stabbing, killing 3-year-old wrote message on wall in blood: police"

  7. News3LV (KSNV) - "3-year-old killed identified as babysitter accused of her murder appears in court"

  8. True Crime News - "Las Vegas babysitter allegedly fatally stabbed 3-year-old and wrote message in blood"

  9. Daily Mail Online - "Killer babysitter wrote six word message in blood after murdering toddler as 911 call reveals dad's screams"

  10. People - "Babysitter Arrested for Fatally Stabbing 3-Year-Old Girl While Her Father Was at Work: Police"

  11. True Crime Avenue - "Las Vegas Babysitter Marketta Phillips Charged in Fatal Stabbing of 3-Year-Old Journei Ross"

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