YouTuber Accused of Killing Rival and His Wife in...

A heated social media rivalry turned deadly Sunday night when a YouTuber allegedly gunned down a fellow content creator and his wife during a livestream near the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip. The shocking double homicide, which unfolded in front of bystanders and was partially captured on camera, has rocked the online creator community.

Las Vegas police say the suspected shooter, 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz, turned himself in early Monday morning at a police station in nearby Henderson. He is now in custody on suspicion of murdering 44-year-old Rodney Finley and his wife, 43-year-old Tanisha Finley.

Officers on patrol along South Las Vegas Boulevard heard gunfire around 10:30 p.m. Sunday and rushed to the scene near the Bellagio. There, they found the couple lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, the shooting was likely motivated by a “conflict over social media.” Police confirmed that the parties involved knew each other and had a documented history of animosity online.

Rodney Finley, known online as Finny Da Legend, was a Las Vegas-based YouTuber who regularly posted livestreams and content about life on the Strip. Over the past year, he had used his platform to speak out against Ruiz, also known on YouTube as SinCity-Manny. In a video from March 2024, Finley accused Ruiz and his partner of issuing copyright strikes against his channel. The video, titled “Look at what Sin City Family (Pmanny & Julie) Did to me,” featured screenshots of what appeared to be an email from YouTube notifying Finley of a copyright claim. Too many such violations can result in the termination of a creator’s channel.

The rivalry appeared to deepen in recent months, with fans of both creators trading jabs online. As of Monday morning, Ruiz’s YouTube channel had been taken down, and the livestream from Sunday night was also removed.

However, portions of the stream were widely shared on other platforms before its deletion. The livestream reportedly showed Finley and his wife walking along the Strip with viewers tuning in, when chaos suddenly erupted. Screams could be heard, and the camera shook violently as gunshots rang out. The shooter never appeared on screen, but witnesses described seeing a man approach the couple and open fire without warning.

According to a police report obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ruiz told investigators that the shooting was in self-defense. He allegedly claimed the two men had a longstanding “rivalry” and that he felt threatened during their unexpected encounter. He also said he had no idea Finley and his wife were livestreaming from that location.

The incident has left the YouTube community in shock, raising questions about how far online feuds can go in real life. Friends and fans of the Finleys have expressed their grief and disbelief on social media, remembering the couple as kind and deeply loved members of the Las Vegas creator scene.

“This was senseless. Rodney always tried to lift people up with his content,” said one friend in a comment under a tribute video. “He didn’t deserve this, and neither did Tanisha.”

Authorities have not confirmed whether any charges have been formally filed against Ruiz, but he remains in custody pending further investigation. The Clark County District Attorney’s office is expected to review the case and determine whether to pursue murder charges or accept Ruiz’s claim of self-defense.

The tragedy has renewed calls for greater accountability and moderation on platforms like YouTube, where interpersonal disputes can sometimes spiral out of control. While online rivalries are nothing new, the deadly outcome of this one has sent a chilling message to creators everywhere: the line between online drama and real-world violence can blur in the worst possible ways.