Las Vegas Sun

November 29, 2009

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Mystery of dead body solved

Angie Wagner

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000 | 4:46 a.m.

When Ronald Collins came home drunk, his wife left with her son, hoping her husband would sleep it off. Nine hours later, she returned home to find her husband in the kitchen with the body of a naked woman on the floor.

Collins' wife fled and police stormed the home to find the man hiding in the attic.

A day later, they found out who the woman was - a 37-year-old prostitute who they believe Collins picked up downtown after his wife left Monday night.

"It certainly is not normal," police Lt. Wayne Petersen said of the bizarre incident.

Police spent four hours negotiating with Collins before finally storming the residence and finding him huddled in an air conditioning duct. He was charged with murder with a weapon.

Police said the incident began when Collins came home drunk about 8 p.m. Monday. His wife, whose name was not released, took her son from a previous relationship and went to her mother's home.

"He was intoxicated and she was afraid it might escalate to a fight," Petersen said.

Police had been to the home several times previously on domestic disturbance calls.

Collins' wife returned home about 5 a.m. Tuesday, hoping Collins had "slept it off," Petersen said.

But when she went into the kitchen, she found Collins and a naked dead woman wrapped in a large plastic sheet.

The victim had been stabbed in the neck. Police not only found blood in the kitchen, but in the living room, dining room and Collins' car.

When police arrived, Collins pushed the door shut on them, then went to hide in the attic.

The victim had been arrested numerous times for prostitution, Petersen said.

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