Local news briefs for September 7, 2000

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

Police seek suspect in slaying

Metro Police are trying to identify a man seen with 36-year-old Mario R. Pulache-Cumpa before he was slain.

Pulache-Cumpa was found strangled in a room at the Lee Motel in the 200 block of Eighth Street about 11:25 a.m. on Aug. 24.

Police are seeking a white man, 23 to 25 years old, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 150 pounds with short light brown hair.

Anyone with information can call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

No charges filed against LV man

The Clark County district attorney has decided not to prosecute a Las Vegas man in last week's Strip shooting.

Chief Deputy District Attorney William Koot said Juan David Padilla, 20, had the right to fight back during an Aug. 26 incident that resulted in the death of Juan David Gonzalez, 20.

According to police, Gonzalez and two friends were waiting in line at a movie theater on the Strip when they got into a confrontation with Padilla and his friends.The groups ran into each other again in the parking lot later, and Gonzalez instigated another confrontation.

When Padilla was attacked, he pulled a gun and shot Gonzalez in the neck.

Beating victim dies at hospital

A 31-year-old man who was in critical condition after he was severely beaten outside of a Las Vegas apartment complex died Tuesday.

Isaac Johnson was found unconscious outside the complex in the 800 block of West Monroe Avenue about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday. He was taken to University Medical Center and died about 3:45 p.m.

Residents reported hearing an argument and then a fight. Investigators do not know what started the fight and have no information about a possible suspect.

Johnson's slaying is the 69th homicide so far this year in Metro's jurisdiction compared with 76 at the same time last year.

Anyone with information can call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Arrest made in 1997 death

The Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team has made an arrest in the shooting death of a 23-year-old man found in an alley near UNLV in 1997.

The team, composed of personnel from area police and federal agencies, arrested Jaime Quinonez in the area of the 100 block of South Martin Luther King Boulevard on Wednesday and charged him with Dec. 21, 1997, murder of Antonio Torres.

Torres was found in an alley near the apartment complex where he lived in the 1600 block of University Avenue after his girlfriend heard gunshots, Metro Police homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

Torres reportedly left his girlfriend in the apartment and went out to smoke, and a couple minutes later two men came to the door looking for him. Torres' girlfriend said he wasn't there, and minutes later she heard a gunshot, Petersen said.

Las Vegan convicted of smuggling

A man charged with smuggling lizards to Las Vegas from the Philippines has been convicted.

Don D. Astorga, 31, faces six to eight months in prison after being convicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court on two counts of smuggling. Astorga waived his right to a jury trial.

Astorga was indicted in March for importing 12 monitor lizards, which violates provisions of the Endangered Species Act and regulations requiring the importation of animals to be declared through customs and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Stanish said.

Astorga is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 8.

Charges filed in shooting case

A 19-year-old Las Vegas man was charged Wednesday in connection with shooting at a car and hitting an occupant in July, Henderson Police said.

Jamala Ajali Mangrum was booked on five counts of attempted murder. Mangrum already was in the Henderson jail on other charges, police said.

Mangrum is accused of firing several gunshots at a Honda Prelude in the area of Warm Springs and Racetrack roads about 7 p.m. July 16. The Honda had five occupants, and one was injured, police said.

Man arrested in downtown theft

A 40-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the robbery of a downtown bank.

Henry Matthew Fleming is accused of going into the Nevada State Bank, 230 Las Vegas Blvd. South, grabbing a teller and demanding money. After allegedly taking an undisclosed amount of money, Fleming was seen running by Metro Police near the corner of Sixth Street and Ogden Avenue, FBI officials said.

Fleming was booked into the Clark County jail in connection with the robbery.