News briefs for June 11, 2003

Wednesday, June 11, 2003 | 11:24 a.m.

Slaying victim's car found

Metro Police officers on Tuesday found a car belonging to a 48-year-old man whose dismembered torso and limbs were found in two suitcases over the weekend, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Allan Nidiffer's 1977 blue Ford Mustang was found in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Dumont Boulevard, near Desert Inn Road and Maryland Parkway, about noon Tuesday.

Investigators are searching the car for evidence, but he said it's not clear if the car is related to Niddiffer's homicide.

Nidiffer's head has not been found, and police have no suspects, Monahan said this morning.

Nidiffer's arms and legs were found Saturday afternoon in a suitcase inside a garbage bin in the 3500 block of South Maryland Parkway. Saturday night, a suitcase containing Nidiffer's torso was found in a trash container behind a strip mall at Desert Inn Road and Rome Street, a few blocks from the location of the other suitcase.

Army Guard unit arrives in Kuwait

Members of the Nevada Army National Guard's 777th Engineering and Utilities Co. have arrived in Kuwait and will be working on camps in Iraq during their deployment, a Nevada Guard spokesman said.

The 55-member unit includes carpenters, electricians, plumbers and heavy equipment operators, Staff Sgt. Eric Studenicka said.

Lobbyist fined in DUI case

Kami Dempsey, chief lobbyist for Las Vegas, was fined $400 and ordered to perform 24 hours of community service after her guilty plea to drunken driving in Carson City.

Justice of the Peace John Tatro also ordered Dempsey to attend victim impact panels and DUI school.

Dempsey, arrested in May, received a 30-day suspension from her job after the arrest.

Fire strikes dorm at Callville Bay

Fire crews investigating a blaze at a dormitory at Lake Mead's Callville Bay said Tuesday that the probable cause was an electrical malfunction in a bathroom fan.

Investigators are still working to estimate the dollar figure of the loss.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area firefighters responded about 5:45 p.m. Monday to a fire in Dormitory A at the Callville Bay concession housing area.

The dorm has 18 individual rooms, and 15 people were in the building when the fire started. No residents or firefighters were injured.

Man wanted in rape is arrested

Detectives with Metro Police's fugitive unit arrested a man Monday who is wanted in Yakima, Wash., in the rape of a 9-year-old girl.

Arturo Sandoval was taken into custody as he was boarding a bus on Boulder Highway, Sgt. Dan Flaherty said.

Sandoval, who is on probation in Washington for DUI, is accused of raping the girl in September 2002. Acting on a tip from Washington authorities, detectives were watching the apartment where they believed Sandoval was staying.

Blood to be tested for West Nile virus

Blood donated in Southern Nevada will be tested for West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne virus that has infected about 4,000 people in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

Nevada has not reported any cases of the West Nile virus, health officials said.

However, United Blood Services will begin testing all donations on July 1, Michael Lanata, technical director, said.

Until late last year, health officials thought only infected mosquitos could transmit West Nile virus to humans. At least 21 people in 2002 developed the disease from blood transfusions.

For an appointment, volunteer donors may call 233-9620 or visit www.UnitedBloodServices.org.