Brothers arrested in woman’s death

Jace Radke and Keith Paul

Monday, April 10, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

North Las Vegas Police arrested a suspect's brother in the Saturday slaying of a 61-year-old woman who somehow became entangled in a domestic dispute between two brothers and her daughter.

Daniel Cook, 20, was arrested early Sunday morning after police determined that he was with his 16-year-old brother inside the home in the 1800 block of Hoover Street at the time of the slaying of Walburga Soult.

Both have been charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon, while the 16-year-old has also been charged with an additional count of attempted murder.

"We're not 100 percent sure of who did what, and we're getting conflicting stories from the people involved," Lt. Chris Larotonda, a police spokesman, said. "It is fairly clear that both brothers were there when the 61-year-old woman was killed."

Police say that Cook and his brother went to the house about 1:30 p.m., and a dispute ensued between the two. Soult's 22-year-old daughter also was in the house.

At some point during the argument, police believe, the 16-year-old pulled out a handgun and fired at the 22-year-old woman, hitting her once near the collarbone and grazing one of her ears.

She was listed in good condition this morning at University Medical Center.

The woman had escaped out a back window, leaving her 61-year-old mother alone in the house with the two brothers.

Soult was found dead by her daughter a few minutes later lying on the living room floor bleeding from several wounds in the head.

Clark County coroner's office officials said she died from cutting and stabbing wounds.

The 16-year-old was found less than 30 minutes after the slaying near the corner of Stanley Avenue and Bruce Street and confessed to the slaying and attack, police said.

Cook and his brother were held without bond in the North Las Vegas Detention Center this morning.