News briefs for September 24, 2001

Monday, Sept. 24, 2001 | 9:17 a.m.

Car recovered in Arizona

Police in Yuma, Ariz., recovered a car Saturday that belonged to a woman who was found dead in her northwest Las Vegas home earlier that day.

The car, a black and red 1989 Chevrolet pickup, was found near the Mexican border.

Police are looking for Brett D. Jones, 24, a man who was living with Shirley B. Rogers, 67, before she died in the 2400 block of Sage Pointe Circle, near Rampart and Lake Mead boulevards.

Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police said officers found the woman dead after responding to a call about 1 p.m. Saturday from a neighbor who was concerned about the woman's welfare. The woman apparently had a loud argument the previous night with a younger man living in her house, Petersen said.

Jones is described as 6 feet 1 inch tall, 180 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has a tribal band tattooed on his right arm, a tattoo of a skull on his left biceps and another tattoo of a skull on his chest.

He is on probation for robbery and is currently wanted for probation violation in Colorado. Anyone with information about Jones should call Metro at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Couple plead guilty in abuse case

A Las Vegas couple have pleaded guilty in the January death of a 2-year-old girl.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon said Elizabeth Calvillo pleaded guilty to felony child abuse and neglect and Charles Felipa pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Herndon said authorities believe Calvillo's daughter, Viridiana Lizeth Flore-Calvillo, suffered abuse at the hands of Felipa over a long period of time and Calvillo failed to do anything about it.

The girl died two to four days after a beating that resulted in internal injuries, authorities said.

District Judge Lee Gates will decide on Nov. 7 whether Felipa should receive a 10- to 25-year prison sentence or a life sentence with parole possible after 10 years.

Calvillo, who gave birth to another child while in jail, will receive probation on Nov. 21 if a psychological examination reveals she is not a threat, Herndon said.

The newborn, who was fathered by Felipa, is in state custody, Herndon said.

Arizona man loses control of bike

An Arizona man riding his motorcycle on Lake Mead Boulevard near Decatur Boulevard was killed Saturday when he lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a block wall.

Ricky Palmer, 26, of Winkerman, Ariz., struck a curb with his motorcycle and was able to keep himself up for about 175 feet before falling down and striking a block wall.

He was taken to University Medical Center where he died. The accident is under investigation.

Measure introduced in Congress

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., introduced legislation Friday that would provide 2,880 acres of federal land for a shooting range in Las Vegas.

The congressional delegation said the land is necessary to ensure the safety of Clark County residents.

"There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of makeshift shooting ranges across the Las Vegas Valley, which pose extreme danger to nearby homes and busy roads," Reid said.

The proposed acreage is a mile northeast of Floyd Lamb State Park in the Las Vegas Valley's northwest. Meetings began last December with Clark County officials, the Bureau of Land Management and other parties regarding the need for a regional shooting range. The range would also include a sports park and firearms training facility.