Rundle returned to face charges

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 9:36 a.m.

Two months after he fled Las Vegas, William Rundle returned Wednesday evening to face charges that he killed his wife, Shirley.

Detectives were hoping to get some useful information out of Rundle Wednesday night regarding his mother's death, and he told them earlier that he wanted to talk.

However, police said they received no new information.

"He pretty much elaborated on stuff we already know," Metro Police Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said this morning. "We'll continue the investigation, but there's no point in continuing to badger him."

On Monday two Metro detectives flew to Orlando, Fla., to retrieve Rundle, who was arrested there Oct. 12 after being on the run since August.

Rundle and two detectives took a United Airlines flight from Orlando, with a layover in Los Angeles, Monahan said.

The plane landed about 5 p.m. at McCarran International Airport.

Homicide Detectives Ken Hardy and George Sherwood met the plane and put Rundle in a burgundy Ford Expedition, then drove him to Metro's Homicide Unit offices for questioning.

"He's indicated he'd like to talk to the detectives," Monahan told reporters gathered at the south gate of the airport. "There are a lot of unanswered questions."

One of the questions detectives wanted answered was what became of Rundle's 87-year-old mother, Willa, who hasn't been seen since 1996. Rundle had said she was touring Europe. After his arrest he told detectives she died of natural causes. He had been cashing her Social Security checks.

Police believe Rundle, 57, murdered his wife, Shirley, 63, with a baseball bat in their home in August. Shirley Rundle's body was found dumped along a road near Susanville, Calif.

After his interview with detectives, Rundle was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, Monahan said.