Ex-security guard charged with murder in daughter’s death

Saturday, Jan. 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Lawrence Motti, 27, was being held in the Clark County Detention Center on a murder by child abuse charge. No bail was set.

"This was a child abuse situation with a 2-month-old with extreme injuries that far exceeded any explanation that was given," said Sandie Durgin, supervisor in the Metropolitan Police Department's Crimes Against Youth and Family section.

The infant, Frances Marie Motti, was taken to Columbia Sunrise Mountain View Hospital shortly before midnight Wednesday after her mother, Elizabeth, called 911. The infant was transferred to another local hospital about 3 a.m., where doctors were able to keep her alive an additional 21 hours.

"It was found that the child had a skull fracture and numerous bruises," Ms. Durgin said.

Lawrence Motti was charged on Thursday; the mother not charged.

Motti made headlines 11 months ago when he shot 56-year-old Gordon Bishop in the parking lot of the Sahara moments after Bishop shot and killed his ex-wife. Prosecutors declined to seek charges against Motti in the Feb. 18 incident.

Assistant District Attorney J. Charles Thompson said then that his office considered Motti fully justified in using deadly force against Bishop, who confronted two security officers with a .38-caliber handgun used to kill Ruth Green-Bishop.