Two suspects held in stabbing death at Ely brothel

Scott Sonner

Monday, Aug. 2, 1999 | 8:53 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Two Chilean ranch hands were being held on murder and attempted murder charges Monday in the stabbing death of one man and slashing of another at the Stardust Ranch brothel in Ely, Nev.

One of the victims died from multiple stab wounds to the upper torso and the other was seriously injured in the attack about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, White Pine County Sheriff Bernie Romero said in a telephone interview from Ely.

"Two Chilean nationals in there were being harassed by two locals. They went at them and they got stabbed," he told The Associated Press.

The dead man was identified as Joseph Bates, 54, a local construction worker.

John Christopher, 55, Ely, was reported in stable condition with multiple stab wounds Monday at William Bee Ririe Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The two suspects work on different ranches outside of Ely, Romero said.

Patricio Osvaldo, 35, was being held without bail on a murder charge. Reginaldo Nestor, 41, was being held without bail on an attempted murder charge.

"We have four or five witnesses," including both customers and women who work at the brothel, the sheriff said.

Ely, a town of 5,000, is located on U.S. Highway 50 about 300 miles east of Reno and 60 miles from the Utah border. Prostitution is legal at licensed brothels in Ely and a number of rural counties in Nevada.

The stabbing occurred in the bar area of the Stardust Ranch after the men exchanged words.

"The Chileans thought they were being made fun of. They don't understand English and the other guys don't understand Spanish or Chilean," Romero said.

"They lunged at them. It was all over in a matter of seconds," he said.

Romero said an initial court appearance had not yet been scheduled because of the language barriers. He said the sheriff's office doesn't have an interpreter available but that the White Pine County District Court likely would provide one.