Prosecutor says accused supermarket shooter wanted to go out in ‘blaze of glory’

Angie Wagner

Wednesday, July 12, 2000 | 9:01 a.m.

A former Marine fulfilled his fantasy of killing by gunning down four employees of an Albertson's grocery store because he wanted to end his life in a "blaze of glory," a prosecutor argued Tuesday.

In his opening statement, Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell said Zane Floyd was a killer who hunted down the grocery store employees on June 3, 1999, just hours after allegedly raping an outcall service dancer.

"The act of one man - a killer who is in this courtroom - made that day a day Las Vegans will never forget," Bell told the jury.

Floyd, 24, faces charges of murder, attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping. He has pleaded innocent. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Bell showed the jury a video of Floyd's victims. After authorities say Floyd raped Tracie Carter at his home, they claim he walked to a nearby Albertson's about 5 a.m. He wore camouflage and was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun. A bathrobe over his clothes concealed his weapon.

Bell recounted what he believes to be Floyd's movements in the store. Store security cameras caught the shootings on tape.

As Floyd entered the store, he threw off his bathrobe and shot the first person he saw - Thomas Darnell, a mentally disabled man who was organizing the shopping carts, Bell said.

Next, Floyd went up aisle seven, where a bookkeeper saw him and called 911. Bell said Floyd then shot Chuck Leos in the neck and face. He had just celebrated his first wedding anniversary. The next victim was Dennis Sargent, a night supervisor with a 6-year-old son.

In the produce section, stock clerk Zack Emenegger was shot, but survived by playing dead, Bell said.

"Floyd just hunted him," Bell said.

By then, the prosecutor said employees were hiding in the coolers, administrative offices, anywhere they could.

In the back of the bakery, Lucy Tarantino, a grandmother, begged Floyd not to shoot her, Bell said. Floyd is accused of shooting her in the top of the head.

The entire shooting incident took five minutes. Floyd then walked out of the store and surrendered to police after telling officers to shoot him. He then confessed to police.

As Bell talked, video images of the victims lying in pools of blood flashed on the television. Some jurors covered their mouths with their hands.

Bell said the alleged rape and shootings happened after Floyd quit his job, gambled his last paycheck away and had a fight with his girlfriend.

He said Floyd wanted to kill himself, but first wanted to fulfill his fantasy of sodomizing a woman and killing someone.

"He was going to go out in a blaze of glory," he said.

The defense is not contesting that Floyd killed the four employees and wounded a fifth, but defense attorney Doug Hedger said some of the charges against Floyd relating to Carter will be contested.

"We will not attempt to excuse the actions of Mr. Floyd," Hedger said.

The only witness called to testify Tuesday was Reana Rubalcaba, who testified that she worked at the Love Bound escort service when a man named "Zane" called and requested a dancer to come to his home.

Carter was dispatched to the home about 3:30 a.m. Rubalcaba didn't hear from Carter until about two hours later when she called from a pay phone to say she had been raped by a man who said he had 19 bullets and was going to kill 19 people, including himself.

"She was crying and screaming and she said he pulled her in by her hair and raped her," Rubalcaba said. "He said he was a Marine and was trained to kill."

Carter is expected to testify Wednesday.