Fingerprints identify murder suspect

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999 | 10:07 a.m.

A man charged in the stabbing death of an acquaintance at the Palace Station hotel-casino Christmas night has been identified through fingerprint analysis.

Gregg Lacedra, 30, originally told Metro Police his name was Ralph Scalfani when he was arrested about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, but a fingerprint comparison showed that name to be an alias, police said.

Homicide detectives believe that some kind of argument took place between Lacedra and Stephon A. Brown in the valet parking lot of the casino, leading to the stabbing death of Brown.

Police arrived to find Brown on the ground near his parked car with a stab wound in the abdomen and Lacedra being held by security at the hotel, 2411 W. Sahara Ave.

Lacedra and the victim were riding in the victim's car in the parking lot when the stabbing occurred, Metro homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

Brown, who had a handgun, managed to fire a couple of shots at Lacedra as he moved away from the car, but didn't hit anyone, Petersen said.

"We know they knew each other, but we aren't exactly sure what caused the stabbing," Petersen said. "The victim reportedly made a comment at the scene that it was over drugs."

Brown, a Las Vegas cab driver, later died of his injuries at University Medical Center.

Lacedra was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon.