Details of man’s mutilation told at woman’s hearing

Kim Smith

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001 | 9:53 a.m.

A Panaca woman accused in the mutilation death of a Las Vegas man was expected to be freed on $32,000 bail today and placed on house arrest.

Justice of the Peace Pro Tem Michael C. Van agreed to release Kirstin Blaise Lobato, 18, on house arrest after learning she has no prior criminal history and was sexually abused as a child.

Lobato has told authorities she cut off Duran Bailey's penis on July 8 as he was trying to sexually assault her.

Bailey's body was found near a trash bin on West Flamingo Road in the early morning hours of July 9.

Lobato, who has lived in Panaca -- in Lincoln County 165 miles north of Las Vegas -- since fifth grade, was in court Tuesday for her preliminary hearing.

At the hearing Van agreed there is enough evidence to try Lobato for murder.

Deputy District Attorney Eric Jorgenson argued for Lobato to be bound over for trial because several of the things Lobato told police don't jibe with the physical evidence.

While Lobato said she doesn't remember anything other than cutting Bailey's penis off, Chief Medical Examiner Lary Simms said Bailey had dozens of injuries.

Bailey's skull was fractured and his carotid artery had been severed, Simms said. An autopsy revealed numerous knife and blunt force trauma injuries on his head and face as well as defensive wounds. His liver had been punctured as the result of a stabbing.

Lobato told police she had cut Bailey's penis off during the attack and she left him crying, but the autopsy showed he had been mutilated after death.

Metro Detective Thomas Thowsen testified Lobato told him the attack happened while she was on a three-day crystal methamphetamine binge.

A baseball bat was found inside Lobato's car, Thowsen said. Lobato told him she had the bat, but couldn't remember if she'd used it on Bailey.

Thowsen also acknowledged a woman has claimed she was sexually assaulted by Bailey in the days before the incident with Lobato.

Detectives, however, had already decided for some reason not to pursue charges at the time of Bailey's death, Jorgenson said.

Van told Lobato she is not to leave her home for any reason other than court appearances. While she is on house arrest, she will be subject to random drug-testing, periodic searches and "extreme" supervision, the judge said.

Lobato, who cried steadily throughout the hearing, said she understood.

Seated in the courtroom for Tuesday's hearing were Lobato's father, stepmother, brother and cousin -- all of whom drove the 165 miles from Panaca to attend.

Lorenzo and Rebecca Lobato described Kirstin as a good person who has a few problems as a result of the sexual abuse she suffered at the age of 6.

Lobato is scheduled to be arraigned by District Judge Valorie Vega on Aug. 21.

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