More charges filed against Weber

Kim Smith

Wednesday, May 1, 2002 | 11:16 a.m.

A host of new charges were filed this morning against Timmy J. Weber, the 28-year-old Las Vegas man who spent three weeks on the run after his girlfriend and her teenage son were killed.

Weber made his initial court appearance this morning via video from the Clark County Detention Center in Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti's courtroom.

According to an amended criminal complaint filed this morning, Weber is now also charged with photographing the sexual assault of Kim Gautier's 14-year-old daughter.

Weber had already been charged with open murder in the April 4 slayings of Kim Gautier, 38, and her son, Anthony Gautier, 15. He had also faced one count of sexual assault of the daughter that day.

The amended complaint alleges Weber began sexually assaulting the girl five years ago, and he made a series of photographs, digital images and-or computer-generated images of the girl engaged in sex acts between January 2000 and April 3, 2002.

Prosecutors also added two counts of attempted murder today. They allege that while Weber was hiding from police he ambushed Chris Gautier, 17, and another man inside the Gautier house, striking them with a club and-or a bat.

With the addition of the new charges, Weber now faces 18 criminal counts, including two counts of open murder.

Togliatti appointed Deputy Public Defenders Joseph Abood and Curtis Brown to represent Weber, who could face the death penalty.

The judge said she would schedule a preliminary hearing on Friday, although prosecutors have said they intend to take the case to a grand jury, negating the need for a preliminary hearing.

The same attorneys were to be appointed to Weber's case again at 11 a.m., when Weber appears before Chief District Judge Mark Gibbons.

Deputy District Attorney Christopher Lalli said that a strict interpretation of Nevada law requires district judges to appoint attorneys in death penalty cases, despite the fact a justice of the peace has already done so.

Lalli said his office decided it was best to have attorneys appointed immediately, so they can discuss the possibility of Weber testifying before an upcoming grand jury proceeding. They may also talk about presenting evidence that could help prove his innocence.

"All we're doing in this case is being as cautious and conservative as we can be," Lalli said.

Weber was arrested Sunday evening at a vacant mobile home owned by Gautier's father.

Chris Gautier and a large number of other friends and family members were present in Togliatti's courtroom during this morning's brief hearing.

Weber had been convicted of five felonies in Nevada since 1992 and two felonies in California, according to court records. All of the convictions stemmed from property crimes, including burglaries of Las Vegas drugstores, restaurants and department stores.