Veteran Vegas writer Matthew Kelemen found dead in container; roommate suspected

The body of longtime Las Vegas freelance writer Matthew Kelemen , 56, was discovered last week inside a container at a downtown business.

Las Vegas police said they responded to a report of a “foul-smelling odor” on May 20, leading to the grim discovery. Kelemen's cause and manner of death were still under investigation, the coroner's office in Las Vegas said Tuesday.

Kelemen's 63-year-old roommate was identified by police as the suspect in his death. However, the man died last week following a high-speed car chase involving the Utah Highway Patrol, reported AP.

Police said the pursuit was unrelated to the investigation, but did not provide further details.

Kelemen’s sister, Mikki Zaferatos said that her brother had described his roommate as “strange” and had been uncomfortable living with him.

Kelemen was a well-known figure in Las Vegas’s media landscape, contributing film reviews, feature stories, and profiles to local outlets for nearly two decades.

He wrote regularly for Las Vegas Weekly and served as a staff writer for the now-defunct magazines 944 and City Life after moving to the city in 2003. His final published piece, a story on Donny Osmond’s Strip residency, appeared just days ago in Las Vegas Magazine .