Man indicted in death of tourist

Kim Smith

Monday, Oct. 2, 2000 | 10:45 a.m.

A five-time felon suspected of accidentally shooting and killing a California tourist last month during a struggle with security guards at Harrah's hotel-casino has been indicted.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Schwartz said Stephen Mullen Jr., 32, was indicted on a variety of charges including one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the Sept. 8 incident that left Heather Vitarelli, 29, dead.

Mullen will be arraigned Oct. 5, Schwartz said. He is being held on $890,000 bail in the Clark County Detention Center.

In addition to a number of burglary and credit card-related charges, Mullen faces a charge of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, because records show at least five past felony convictions, Schwartz said.

Schwartz said Mullen's co-defendant, Michael Adam Frimmel, 31, has not yet been indicted. He was originally arrested on stolen credit card charges but a deputy district attorney failed to file a formal complaint and he was mistakenly released from the Clark County jail before he could be charged in the murder case.

Frimmel, was recaptured in New Jersey two weeks ago, and is fighting extradition, Schwartz said,

Vitarelli was shot in the back after security guards for Harrah's confronted Frimmel and Mullen believing them responsible for a handful of thefts within the casino.

As Frimmel ran off, Mullen was tackled by casino guards. Police said that while the guards struggled to handcuff him, he fired two shots with the gun still pinned under his chest.

One of the shots struck security guard Frank Willis in the abdomen and another hit Vitarelli in the back as she stood 35 feet away, oblivious to the struggle.

The security officers were then able to get the gun from Mullen and handcuff him. Other officers caught Frimmel a short time later.