Co-defendant also indicted in death of tourist

Kim Smith

Monday, Oct. 9, 2000 | 9:55 a.m.

The two men believed to be responsible for the death of a California tourist at Harrah's hotel-casino have been indicted.

Stephen Mullen Jr., 32, had already been indicted on a murder charge in connection with the death of Heather Vitarelli, 29, but the new indictment includes his co-defendant, Michael Frimmel, 31.

The new indictment will supercede the old one.

In addition to the murder count, Frimmel and Mullen face two attempted murder counts and a variety of burglary and credit card-related charges.

Mullen, who pleaded not guilty last week, is being held on $890,000 bail in the Clark County Detention Center. Frimmel, who was arrested in New Jersey after a paperwork snafu sent him free, is fighting extradition.

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

As Frimmel ran off, Mullen resisted arrest and was tackled to the floor. 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 oblivious to the struggle 35 feet away.

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

Frimmel was being held at the jail on credit card charges, but a Clark County deputy district attorney failed to file formal charges on time and he was released a few days after the slaying. He was found at his mother's home in New Jersey a couple of days after the murder charges were filed.