Las Vegas man Bryan Clay arrested for hammer slayings of mother and daughter

(CBS/AP) LAS VEGAS - Using a hammer as a weapon, a authorities say a "complete stranger" with no significant criminal history chose a family at random and attacked them in their Las Vegas home, killing a woman and her daughter.

Brian Clay, 22, was arrested Friday for allegedly killing Ignacia Martinez and her 10-year-old daughter, Karla , and leaving husband and father Arturo Martinez with head injuries so severe he can't talk with police.

Clay is also accused of raping a 50-year-old woman in the same neighborhood just hours before the April 15 home invasion. In that  attack, the alleged victim was walking near an intersection when an assailant forced her into a nearby desert area and violently sexually assaulted her.

An initial court appearance for Clay was rescheduled to Wednesday morning.

Police were notified about the case when a 9-year-old boy, who was not injured by the attacker, came to school the next day and informed a counselor that his mom and sister were dead.

According to Lt. Ray Steiber, the suspect had no connection to the family of five.

"This was a complete stranger killing a mother and daughter and attacking the father," Steiber told The Associated Press Satruday. "I've been doing this (police work) 24 years, and you don't see cases like this. I can't even put this into words."

Nothing was taken from the house, and investigators were unsure of the motive for the attack.

"There's no rhyme or reason to why (it happened)," he said, adding Clay doesn't have a "significant" criminal history.

Steiber said he didn't know why the two boys, 9 and 4, were spared in the home invasion attack.

Authorities found the bodies of the girl and the mother in separate bedrooms. The two boys remained in the home for at least 24 hours with the bodies and their severely injured father, Steiber said.

The boys were placed in protective custody with the Clark County Department of Family Services after the attack, and police declined to say where they now are. "They're safe and OK," Steiber said.

Police made the case a top priority as up to 60 investigators were involved. "Our goal was to get this guy into custody, and we weren't going to stop until we did," Steiber said.

Clay was being held without bail.

More on Crimesider
April 16, 2012 - Boy, 9, tells school officials mom and sister are dead at home; Las Vegas cops confirm two deaths