Local news briefs for January 18, 2001

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 11:12 a.m.

Man charged in girlfriend's death

A 28-year-old Las Vegas man who was arrested in September for domestic violence was charged this morning in connection with the slaying of his 41-year-old girlfriend.

The woman, whose name was not released this morning, was found stabbed to death in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of North Lamb Boulevard near Bonanza Road, Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police's homicide unit said.

Michael Marsillett was booked into the Clark County jail on a charge of murder with a weapon.

The woman had filed a domestic violence report in September against Marsillett. He also was arrested in 1999 on domestic violence and charged with striking his mother, police said.

The woman's death is the seventh homicide so far this year in Metro's jurisdiction, compared with six at the same time last year.

Vehicle flees scene of accident

A 77-year-old Las Vegas man was killed Wednesday night when he attempted to cross Rancho Drive midblock and was struck by a car, whose driver then fled the scene.

The accident occurred about 6:30 p.m. on Rancho just north of Vegas Drive.

Police said the pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk and made it to the center median, but when he attempted to cross the northbound travel lanes, he stepped into the path of an oncoming car and was hit.

The pedestrian died at the scene, and the motorist continued to drive north on Rancho.

The only description of the vehicle police have is that it was dark and either a midsize or full-size car. Anyone with any information about the car or the accident is asked to call police at 229-3535 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Henderson judge ready for race

Henderson Municipal Judge Ken Proctor has announced he is seeking re-election for a third term to the post he has held for eight years.

Official filing for municipal elections begins Tuesday.

Proctor, 55, is a Vietnam War Marine Corps veteran and a 25-year resident of Henderson.

In 1995 Proctor started a DUI school to allow first-time drunken-driving violators to improve their driving record by taking classes. In 1998 he started a program that holds DUI trials in high schools in order to deter potential offenders.

Proctor said he also initiated programs to make prosecution of domestic violence easier. At the same time, he helped form the first shelter for victims of domestic violence.

He hopes to continue improving the legal system, he said, by treating each person, as much as possible, as an individual.

Panel decides on design criteria

Planners of a $100,000 national design contest for the proposed state college in Henderson met their first significant deadline Tuesday, putting final touches on the architectural criteria for a 280-acre campus and posting it on the college's website.

The 23-member planning committee met for the first time just two weeks ago.

They hope to pick a finalist by April 4. Four semi-finalists will split the $100,000 purse.

Planners are asking firms to design a campus of four to six distinct but interrelated clusters of schools that will "capture the imagination of the local community."

University regents have requested a roughly 120,000-square-foot academic building for the college in the 2001 budget. They have also requested funds for a library.