Suspect in Las Vegas killing gives up in Oklahoma City

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

A 33-year-old man who Metro Police say shot and killed his ex-girlfriend outside a karaoke bar last week surrendered to FBI agents Wednesday after a five-hour standoff at a house in Oklahoma City.

Vannasone Quanbengboune is being held in Oklahoma County Jail on a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a murder warrant in connection with the death of Raynna Bunyou, 38, on Aug. 7.

"This worked out peacefully," Oklahoma City FBI spokesman Gary Johnson said. "We did not have to take it to the next level."

According to Metro Police, Quanbengboune and Bunyou spent several hours together at the Bangkok Boom at 3111 S. Valley View Blvd., near Desert Inn Road. They argued in the parking lot, and then, about 3 a.m., two people came out of the bar and saw a man shoot a woman, later identified as Bunyou, police said.

The man pointed the gun at the witnesses and they ran back into the bar, Lt. Tom Monahan said. The killer drove off in Bunyou's car, which was found the next day in the 4000 block of East Baltimore Avenue, just over two miles away from the bar.

Authorities received a tip Tuesday that Quanbengboune was in Oklahoma City, Las Vegas FBI spokesman Todd Palmer said. That evening, FBI agents and officers with the Oklahoma City Police conducted a stakeout at a house, which Johnson said belonged to "a friend of a friend" and confirmed Quanbengboune was staying there.

Shortly after 5 a.m. PDT Wednesday, police evacuated the neighborhood and the FBI's SWAT Team surrounded the house. FBI negotiators called the house and asked Quanbengboune to turn himself in.

Instead of coming out right away, Johnson said authorities believe Quanbengboune spent the next five hours "calling family members and preparing himself mentally" for his surrender.

He came out with his hands up at 10:40 a.m. PDT. Authorities found a gun in the house after he was taken into custody, Johnson said.

Quanbengboune is expected to be extradited back to Nevada.