A man already serving 3 life sentences for murder was charged in a cold murder case in 2004

Norman Flowers is a suspect in a 2004 murder, Las Vegas police said Thursday.

(Credit: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police)

(CNN) --

A man serving a life sentence for three murders that occurred in the Las Vegas area in 2005 is now charged with a 2004 murder there, authorities said Thursday.

Investigators determined that Norman Flowers, 48, is a suspect in the 2004 death of Keysha Brown after they requested more forensic evidence during a cold case review of the July 2022 murder, Las Vegas police said this Thursday. Thursday.

The Police Department's forensic laboratory provided detectives with a report in December that "confirms ... that Flowers is the suspect" in Brown's death, police said in a news release.

Details about what the forensic tests entailed or why such tests did not help identify a suspect years ago were not immediately available.

CNN has sought comment from Las Vegas police.

Flowers was charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2004 case, according to court and police records.

The suspect is already serving three life sentences in Nevada's High Desert State Prison on premeditated murder convictions in the 2005 Las Vegas-area murders of three women: Sheila Quarles, Marilee Coote and Rena Gonzalez, authorities said.

Brown was found dead a few blocks east of the famed hotel and casino strip south of downtown Las Vegas on Oct. 19, 2004, police said.

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Keysha Brown was found dead in October 2004, police said.

(Credit: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police)

Brown was stabbed, beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted, police said.

At the time, detectives were unable to identify a suspect, police said.

Authorities have not said if they know the reason for Brown's death.

Regarding the Flowers murder charge: In Nevada, that charge is a general manslaughter charge that would allow a jury to decide the level of the crime at the time of conviction, including premeditated murder, manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary.

Crime