Two relatives of Blackburn indicted

Kim Smith

Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999 | 11:16 a.m.

A federal grand jury indicted two relatives of Timothy Blackburn Wednesday on charges they helped the late robbery suspect escape from the North Las Vegas jail Aug. 11.

The jury indicted Timothy Blackburn's brother, Terry Blackburn, on a charge of aiding and assisting an escape, and Terry Blackburn's wife, Seila Lim, on a charge of giving federal authorities a false statement.

According to court records, Terry Blackburn gave his brother a driver's license and other forms of identification between Aug. 11 and Aug. 14.

Lim told FBI agents during the search for Blackburn that the Nissan Pathfinder sometimes driven by her brother-in-law was being repaired at an auto dealership when it was not, court records show.

FBI Special Agent Kevin Caudle said the false statement charge falls under the same statute as signing a false tax statement or FHA loan.

The driver's license Terry Blackburn allegedly gave his brother was his own, Caudle said.

"It was Terry's actual driver's license," Caudle said. "They look very much alike, and it was for Tim to have after the escape so that if he was pulled over his ID wouldn't show it was Tim."

However, Timothy Blackburn never got the chance to use the driver's license.

Metro Police officers received a tip Saturday night that Blackburn, his wife, Puthea Lee, and their two small daughters were staying at the Budget Suites, 4625 Boulder Highway.

After three hours of negotiations, SWAT team members stormed into the Blackburns' room, thinking a muffled gunshot was the sound of Blackburn carrying out his threats of killing his family.

By the time SWAT team members got from the motel room's front door to the bathroom door, Blackburn had killed Tiana, 5, Tiara, 4, and was in the process of shooting Lee, 24.

Sheriff Jerry Keller said officers opened fire on Blackburn, striking him five times, but Blackburn fired the fatal shot into his own head.

The muffled gunshot actually came from the shotgun of a uniformed officer who accidentally discharged the weapon while slinging it over his shoulder, Keller said. An investigation is under way as to why the gun discharged.

Services for the Blackburns are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at Bunkers Eden Vale Mortuary. Burial will follow at Bunkers Eden Vale Memorial Park.