Tourist killed in Harrah’s shooting

Keith Paul

Friday, Sept. 8, 2000 | 11:26 a.m.

A petty-theft suspect fired two shots while struggling with Harrah's hotel-casino security guards and killed a 29-year-old tourist on the gaming floor and wounded a security officer early this morning.

A group of unarmed Harrah's security guards approached two men -- 32-year-old Stephen Mullen and 31-year-old Michael Frimmel -- in two areas of the casino because they suspected the men of stealing from unsuspecting gamblers.

Mullen ran from the officers and was caught near the main cage beside several blackjack and roulette tables about 1:20 a.m. and started struggling with the security guards, said Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police's homicide unit.

"Three to five security guards were on him trying to handcuff him," Petersen said. "They had him pinned down on the ground, but it's hard to handcuff someone who doesn't want to be handcuffed."

Mullen is accused of pulling a handgun from his waistband, and while the gun was still pinned under his chest, he fired two shots, Petersen said. After the shots, the security guards were able to pry the gun from his hand and handcuff him.

One of the bullets hit 29-year-old Heather M. Vitarelli of Napa, Calif., in the back, killing her. Vitarelli was standing about 35 feet away from the altercation.

"She may not have even been aware of what was going on," Petersen said.

The second bullet hit one of the security guards, 43-year-old Frank Willis, in the abdomen. He was listed in fair condition this morning in University Medical Center.

"We are deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy," Harrah's Senior Vice President and General Manager Tom Jenkin said in a statement. "Harrah's extends its thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families."

There were many people in the area and about 20 witnesses gave statements to police after the shooting, Petersen said.

The second suspect, Frimmel, was apprehended by security guards near an exit and was taken into custody without incident. Both men were booked into the Clark County jail on murder and attempted murder charges, Petersen said.

The pair also face other charges related to thefts inside the casino.

Casino security officers were on the lookout for the men after surveillance video captured the two apparently stealing from gamblers. The two are accused of being "bucket thieves" -- a term used to describe those who go into casinos and swipe a bucket of change from a gambler at a slot machine or grab a purse or wallet while a gambler is distracted.

The pair is accused of pulling these types of thefts inside Harrah's Thursday night. Security guards were given surveillance pictures of the men. One of the guards spotted the two men, and officers approached them, Petersen said.

Neither man has an arrest record in Las Vegas, but Mullen has arrests in Texas, New Jersey and Virginia, mostly on theft charges. The gun found on Mullen was apparently stolen from a Norton, Va., gun store during a burglary about a week ago.

Frimmel has been arrested in New Jersey on drug-related charges, police said.

Vitarelli is the third person since November to be killed inside a casino's gaming area.

On Nov. 10 Gloria Cohns, a 37-year-old blackjack dealer, was shot to death inside the Golden Gate hotel-casino on Fremont Street. Larry D. Taylor, 37, her ex-boyfriend, was charged with murder. He is currently in a state mental facility.

On Feb. 7, 56-year-old Philip Greenspan was shot while sitting inside the Stardust hotel-casino. He ran outside, collapsed to the sidewalk and died at a hospital. Anthony Cuccia, 59, was charged with murder. Cuccia apparently had no connection to Greenspan and is currently in a state mental facility.

Vitarelli's slaying was the 70th homicide in Metro's jurisdiction this year compared with 76 at the same time last year.