Police: Key witness in girl’s killing found

Thursday, Dec. 26, 2002 | 11:18 a.m.

Authorities have found the man they say was the intended target of a September shooting that killed a 9-year-old North Las Vegas girl, police said today.

Prosecutors considered the man, Bobby Valentine, a valuable witness in the case against Pascual Lozano and postponed the end of Lozano's preliminary hearing in part to give police more time to find Valentine.

Although Valentine was not found in time to testify at the preliminary hearing, North Las Vegas Police spokesman Mark Martin said Valentine could still testify at Lozano's trial.

Lozano, 23, is scheduled to go to trial on June 23 on multiple felony counts, including murder with the use of a deadly weapon and battery with the use of a deadly weapon.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Lozano has pleaded not guilty.

Valentine is not being held in police custody but is in touch with prosecutors, Martin said.

Martin would not give any additional information about Valentine.

Police and prosecutors allege Lozano was shooting at Valentine on Sept. 7 when stray bullets hit Genesis Gonzalez and her sister, Heidi. Heidi survived, but Genesis died from her wound.