Trial set for alleged thrill murderers

Bill Gang

Friday, March 27, 1998 | 10:18 a.m.

Tony Amati, who had been the only Nevadan on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list until his arrest Feb. 27, has pleaded not guilty to three murder counts in a string of apparent thrill killings.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure set a Nov. 9 trial date for the 21-year-old man and his two co-defendants, Troy Sampson, 26, and Edward James, 22. The trio faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.

Amati was arrested on a telephone tip less than a week after allegations of his involvement in the Las Vegas killing spree were aired on the television show "America's Most Wanted."

Metro Police allege the three suspects worked together in three killings over four months "for the thrill of it." Homicide Sgt. Ken Hefner said last summer that in at least one case, the gunmen laughed as they fired at a victim.

The murders weren't connected by police until undercover gang officers bought guns from the suspects that were later linked to the murders.

"The murders were, to a large degree, overkill," Hefner said. "They were unnecessary and particularly brutal. The victims were minding their own business."

On Aug. 29, 1996, 22-year-old Keith Dyer was walking a teenage fellow employee from Pizza Hut to her apartment when they were approached by three men outside 4995 S. Maryland Parkway. There was a shout and one of them opened fire, the teenager told police. Dyer died at the scene and the woman suffered a minor wound to her leg.

Three months earlier, on May 27, 1996, Michael John Matta, 27, was rummaging through Dumpsters in a condominium complex in the 5100 block of Gray Lane, near Hacienda Avenue and Maryland Parkway, when he was shot to death.

The third incident occurred July 28, 1996, when John Garcia, 48, was shot in the head in his garage at 5147 Greene Lane, near Tropicana Avenue and Maryland Parkway.