Mystery over crash victim’s money may stay unsolved

Jen Lawson

Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

A man killed in a car crash along a lonely stretch of desert road might have been a victim of theft after his death, but Metro Police may never know.

Kenneth Armstrong, 40, came to Las Vegas two weeks ago from the San Bernardino, Calif.-area for a flooring convention. Sometime between 12:30 and 4 a.m. on Jan. 20, Armstrong was killed when he lost control of his 2002 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on Russell Road near Broadbent Boulevard.

His truck veered into the shoulder, hit a road sign and slammed into a 3-foot high concrete barrier, Detective Oscar Chavez said. He wasn't wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle.

A woman saw the wreckage about 4 a.m. and called police. When officers arrived, they found a small amount of cash in his pocket, an ATM receipt that showed he withdrew money at 12:30 a.m., and no wallet, Sgt. Curt Albert said. Officers combed the desert and couldn't find his wallet or bank card.

Within the next 24 hours, $5,000 in charges showed up on his bank card, Albert said, and $500 worth of charges were made at a gas station.

"Someone could've been paying a repair bill for a car," he said.

Detectives have two theories: Someone stumbled upon the wreckage and stole Armstrong's wallet, or someone stole Armstrong's wallet while he was alive and Armstrong chased the person, which would explain why he was driving so fast. Albert said his truck was going about 80 mph.

The woman who reported the crash isn't a suspect, Albert said.

Detectives don't know why Armstrong was driving along that desolate stretch of road, which is 15 miles from Palace Station, where he was staying. Sam Boyd Stadium is nearby, but there weren't any businesses open at that hour.

Only "someone incredibly sick" would steal from a dead body, Albert said, but it has happened before. About a year and a half ago, a female pedestrian was struck and killed on East Charleston, and someone stole her wallet.

Detectives are continuing their investigation into the Armstrong case, but since the person who knew what happened is dead, the mystery may go unsolved.

"Something definitely happened," Albert said. "We may never know what happened."