Conviction returned in ‘96 killing
Monday, July 3, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.
Three and a half years after a native Cuban was gunned down in the parking lot of a Las Vegas restaurant, the man accused of driving the getaway car has been convicted.
Geovanny Torres was convicted Friday of conspiracy to commit murder, murder with use of a deadly weapon and attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon.
District Judge John McGroarty will sentence Torres Aug. 16.
Torres and his brother, Carlos, who is also a Cuban native, were charged with murder in the Dec. 30, 1996, death of Alfonso Lazaro, 30.
Authorities believe the three had a dispute going back to the days when they were refugees at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba.
Eduardo Rojas, whose testimony was translated into English through an interpreter, told jurors that on the night of the slaying he and Lazaro ran into the Torres brothers at two different bars.
Shortly after they got to the second bar, the Torres brothers got into an argument with Lazaro, Rojas said.
The brothers left, Rojas testified, but when he and Lazaro left the bar about 45 minutes later, Rojas said he saw Geovanny Torres behind the wheel of a white Cadillac and Carlos Torres in the front seat. Two other men were in the back seat.
Seconds later, Rojas said, he heard shots, and when he turned around, he saw Carlos Torres shooting at Lazaro over the top of the passenger door. When he yelled "Are you crazy?" Carlos Torres started shooting toward him, Rojas said.
The Torres brothers drove off, Rojas said. When he checked on Lazaro and found him dead, Rojas said, he went home and his wife tended to the gunshot wounds in his leg.
He didn't go to the police for seven days because he was scared, Rojas testified.
Deputy Special Public Defender Daren Richards, however, told jurors during his opening arguments that not only is there no physical evidence to tie Geovanny Torres to the scene, but Rojas was not to be believed.
Under cross-examination from Richards, Rojas admitted he has a felony drug conviction on his record. He also acknowledged that although he claims to have told police Geovanny Torres was driving the car that night, it's not on tape-recorded interviews with police.
Ironically, Carlos Torres remained a fugitive until Thursday. He was arrested in New Mexico for his alleged connection to Lazaro's death. He is expected to be brought back to Nevada to face trial.
Kim Smith covers courts for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2321 or by e-mail at kimberly@lasvegassun.com.(TM)
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- CityCenter’s Mandarin Oriental makes Vegas debut
- As national jobless rate improves, LV sees signs of trouble
- Pacquiao-Mayweather fight on, March date likely
- Sub-freezing temperatures hit Las Vegas
- Court upholds sex conviction for Las Vegas magician
- Barrick Gold to work on mine despite court ruling
- UNLV president denies reports of Livengood as new AD
- From Eva Longoria Parker to a cluster of execs, crowd takes a shine to Crystals
- Rebels try to avoid the ‘trap’ at Santa Clara
- Survey ranks Nevada among most unhappy states
Blogs
Elsewhere
Dawn Gibbons' story: Nevada's first lady talks about her divorce, humiliation and fears (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
Kirk Kerkorian: CityCenter is 'simply the most amazing' Vegas project ever (3 Comments)
Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch
Great Santa Run: Unofficial 14,595 runners would be a new record
Elsewhere
Rampage Jackson to return to UFC (3 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Superintendents want state to immediately seek Race to Top funds
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: The great Jennifer debate (2 Comments)
The Kats Report
From Eva Longoria Parker to a cluster of execs, crowd takes a shine to Crystals (5 Comments)
Calendar »
- 6 Sun
- 7 Mon
- 8 Tue
- 9 Wed
- 10 Thu
-
Chickenfoot at The Joint
The Joint | 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at the Pearl
The Pearl at the Palms | 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
-
Great Santa Run at Town Square
Town Square | 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
-
Willie Nelson at Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino | 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Cash'd Out at Aliante Station
Aliante Station Casino and Hotel | 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Brooks & Dunn at the Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
-
Ron White performs at the Mirage
Terry Fator Theatre
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati













