Teen to stand trial in grandfather’s killing

Malia Spencer

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2003 | 11:17 a.m.

The Las Vegas teen accused of killing his grandfather last month said he heard voices that told him his grandfather's time was up, according to court testimony Tuesday.

Shawn Scott, 18, will stand trial in District Court in the July 25 killing of Frank Campos, 81, after Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo reviewed the evidence against him Tuesday.

Scott will be arraigned in District Court on Aug. 26.

Deputy District Attorneys Taleen Pandukht and Jerry Tao laid out the state's case with the testimony of four witnesses, including Scott's grandmother and a friend who said Scott confessed to the killing.

But Scott's defense attorney, Howard Brooks, said though the facts of Campos' death are "clear cut," the case will be based upon Scott's mental capacity at the time of the crime.

Metro Homicide Detective Robert Wilson testified that when he questioned Scott on July 26, the teen said he heard voices that told him his grandfather was developing Alzheimer's disease and it was his grandfather's "time to go."

Scott and his grandfather had a good relationship, Dolores Campos, the victim's wife of 19 years, testified. The teen had been living with her and his grandfather for 11 years.

On the night of Frank Campos' death, Dolores Campos said, she and her daughter had gone out about 8:30 p.m., leaving Frank Campos with Scott and two other grandchildren. When they returned about midnight, the woman said, she saw her grandson sitting in a friend's car outside their residence on Strike Jumper Court.

They entered the house, and Scott went into the master bedroom.

"He hollered 'grandma,' " she said, adding that the tone in his voice told her something was wrong. "I ran into the bedroom and that's when I seen my husband."

Frank Campos' body was on the floor, she said.

The family called paramedics, who concluded he had died of a heart attack.

But Luis Guitterez, a friend who has known Scott since the two were in middle school, testified that Scott was acting oddly on the night of the alleged crime.

Guitterez said Scott called him about 11:30 p.m. and they met outside Scott's house. Scott got into his car, Guitterez said, and was "trippin' me out and acting strange." The friend also described Scott as paranoid.

However, Scott's friend also told prosecutors that at one time Scott mentioned that if his grandfather were to die, his grandmother would receive life insurance money.

While in Guitterez's car, Scott accused him of wearing a wiretap, the friend said. Scott also tried to hide two plastic grocery bags and a pillow case in the back seat, Guitterez testified.

Guitterez continued to ask Scott what was wrong and whether or not he was high on drugs.

"He (Scott) told me, 'I murdered my grandpa,' " Guitterez said. "I told him don't be playin.' "

Scott replied, "No, I suffocated him," Guitterez said.

When Dolores Campos returned home and the two were still in the car, Scott asked his friend to leave and get rid of the bags and pillowcase in the back seat. But the friend refused.

The next day, Guitterez testified, he called Scott's family and told them what Scott had told him. Later that day Scott confessed again, Wilson, the detective, said.

Wilson testified that Scott told him he used the plastic grocery bag and a pillow to suffocate Frank Campos while he sat on the edge of his bathtub. Scott then leaned the body against the tub "to look natural," he told police.

Wilson also said Scott told him that he was not pretending to be surprised when he found his grandfather's body. He was surprised "because he had actually done it," Wilson said.

A forensic pathologist for the Clark County coroner's office testified that Frank Campos was suffocated, citing the victim's injuries.