‘Most Wanted’ will feature two Las Vegas cases this week

Monday, Nov. 18, 2002 | 11:14 a.m.

"America's Most Wanted" this week will feature two Las Vegas cases, one involving a suspected murderer and the other focusing on a robbery suspect, host John Walsh said on Sunday.

Walsh, who was in Las Vegas to attend the Canon Celebrity Golf Challenge, said he will tape the segments today to try to help police find Zhen Yu Liang, who is wanted in a 2000 slaying, and Heather Tallchief, wanted in a 1994 armored van robbery.

The syndicated show airs Saturdays on KVVU Channel 5.

Metro Police have been looking for Liang, 38, since October 2000, when Patrick T. Sheen was found shot to death in his home on Royal Wood Court in the Rhodes Ranch subdivision. Liang had been living with Sheen for about nine months.

Detectives are not sure if Liang is still in Nevada or even in this country. Liang apparently was born in China and her mother still lives there, Walsh said.

Tallchief, a former Loomis employee, is wanted in a 1994 robbery of $3.1 million from an armored van at Circus Circus. Police allege Tallchief helped an accomplice with the robbery and fled on a chartered jet.

Police believe Tallchief drove away from the hotel while co-workers were inside filling ATM machines. She and her boyfriend, Robert Ignacio Zalaya-Solis, fled, police say, disguised as senior citizens. Authorities believe they fled to the Caribbean or Central America.

"We've been looking for her for a very long time," Walsh said.

Metro Sgt. Rick Barela said "America's Most Wanted" has been "absolutely beneficial" to law enforcement.

"We give full credit to John Walsh and his associates, because they've helped solve cases all over the country," Barela said. "We're hopeful with the eyes and ears of the public that we can generate information that will help us capture these suspects."

Sometimes those who are wanted are caught after seeing themselves featured on "America's Most Wanted."

Richard Garber, 54, of Las Vegas was wanted for murder in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., He heard in February 2000 that he would be featured on an upcoming show and was watching when police entered his home and found the 54-year-old man hiding in the shower. His television was tuned to the program.

Meanwhile, Walsh said, the golf tournament Sunday raised $250,000 to help law enforcement officials and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tournament has raised more than $1 million since 1998.

Celebrities invited to play in the tournament included comedian Flex Alexander, Bryan Cranston of "Malcolm in the Middle," John Daly, host of "House Detective," Bob Goen from "Entertainment Tonight," Robert Hays featured in "Airplane" and "That 70s Show," Mike Storm of "One Life to Live," Tanya Roberts of "That 70s Show," Chris Rich of "Reba,"Joe Regalbuto from "Murphy Brown" and David Naughton from "American Werewolf in London."

Metro Police Capt. Dennis Cobb accepted two Canon digital cameras, two scanners and two printers on Saturday night. The equipment, donated by Canon, will aid local police in tracking missing children, Walsh said.