Homicide linked to carjackings

Wednesday, April 23, 2003 | 10:48 a.m.

Metro Police are investigating the homicide of a man whose body was discovered in a Las Vegas apartment Tuesday night after a carjacking suspect being held in Long Beach, Calif., gave officers information about the death.

"We can't be absolutely certain whether Daniel Sigler is responsible for this death," Metro Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said late Tuesday.

The body was discovered about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday after nearby residents at the Shelter Island apartments complained of a foul odor, Monahan said.

The Clark County coroner's office said this morning the identity of the victim was pending.

It was the second homicide in the apartment complex at Swenson Street and Twain Avenue in less than a month, a former resident said. "It's getting really bad out here," Karen Armfield, who cares for an elderly woman at a nearby apartment, said.

Sigler, 22, was being held in Long Beach on charges of attempted murder of his estranged girlfriend and police officers. Metro planned to obtain arrest warrants for Sigler for robbery, attempted murder and kidnapping, all with a deadly weapon.

In a crime spree described by police as "extremely violent and bizarre," police allege Sigler committed three carjackings in Las Vegas over the weekend, forced a couple to drive him to Long Beach, then held his 2-year-old son hostage on a city bus while exchanging gunfire with police.

The series of crimes began Saturday afternoon, when police said Sigler tried to carjack a man at a car wash at Boulder Highway and Indios Avenue.

Police said he held a gun to the victim and ordered him to turn over his car, but the man refused and drove off. Sigler fired three shots at the car, hitting the victim twice through the driver's side door, police said. The victim drove to a nearby apartment complex and got help for his injuries, officers said.

Then police said Sigler walked to a nearby residential area and approached a man getting into his truck. According to police Sigler flashed his handgun and ordered the victim to drive him to the area of Nellis Boulevard and Flamingo Road, which he did. When the victim stopped his truck, he jumped out and ran.

Police said Sigler drove the victim's truck west on Flamingo, then lost control while turning right onto the northbound on-ramp of U.S. 95. The truck rolled, and several passers-by stopped to help, unaware that the truck was stolen.

He showed a gun to the passers-by and stole their car, police said.

Police later found the car. No one was injured.

About 5 p.m. Sunday, police allege Sigler walked up to a middle-aged couple getting out of their car in their driveway near Nellis Boulevard and Harmon Avenue. He ordered them at gunpoint back into the car and demanded a ride to Long Beach, police said. Sigler ran from the car after in Long Beach. The couple called Metro when they got back to Las Vegas. It's not clear why they waited until returning to Las Vegas to call.

At 5:30 a.m. Monday, Sigler broke into his estranged girlfriend's apartment and shot at her while she crouched in a closet, Officer Jana Blair of the Long Beach Police said. The woman was not hurt. Sigler grabbed his 2-year-old son and ran from the apartment, Long Beach police said.

A bus driver called police a short time later and said a man matching Sigler's description had just boarded his bus with a little boy.

The bus driver pulled over, and police ordered the driver and passengers off the bus. About 15 people got off the bus, except Sigler and his son, Blair said.

After the last passenger left the bus, Sigler fired shots at police. He hit a police cruiser and officers returned fire. No one was hurt.

About 7:45 a.m. Sigler let his diaper-clad son off the bus, tossed out his handgun and surrendered, lying down on the pavement with his arms and legs spread, Blair said.

The child, who suffered minor cuts to his feet, was treated at a hospital and released to child welfare authorities.