Court denies appeals of two killers

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has denied the appeal of Frank S. D'Agostino, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the fatal stabbing and the burning of the body of Eleanor Panzarella of Las Vegas in 1989.

The court rejected the claims by D'Agostino that his trial lawyer and his attorney on his first appeal to the Supreme Court were ineffective.

The Supreme Court in 1993 overturned a death penalty against D'Agostino and an agreement was reached for him to serve two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.

The court also upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Johnny Hughes Walker Jr., sentenced to two consecutive terms of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Walker was convicted of the killing of Maureen McConaha, who was shot five times in the head and once in the hand.

The court rejected Walker's claim that the testimony of a jailhouse informant should have been barred at trial.

McConaha and Christian had The court also rejected the claim by Walker that there should have been a jury instruction that he could not be convicted of first-degree murder if it believed he was responsible only for aiding Christian in the murder.

Christina was convicted in a separate trial of second-degree murder.