Jewelry kiosk owner’s murder baffles police

Jen Lawson

Friday, May 9, 2003 | 11:16 a.m.

The last time Metro Police can account for jewelry koisk owner Anthony Limongello's whereabouts was Sunday night, when he drove past the guard at his gated Rhodes Ranch community in his 2002 black Lincoln Navigator.

The next morning Limongello's body was found near a trash bin in the 1000 block of North Rancho Drive, an area plagued by robberies and drugs. He had been shot, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Police found the Navigator Wednesday night near North Rancho and Vegas drives, about a mile from where his body was found. As investigators searched it for evidence Thursday afternoon, Monahan said detectives were trying to piece together the events that led up to Limongello's death.

"We're trying to learn more about Mr. Limongello," Monahan said.

Limongello, who moved to Las Vegas within the past four years, ran a family-owned kiosk in the Fashion Show mall that sells Italian jewelry. He lived most of his life in Florida, according to public records. He bought his upscale home in the Rhodes Ranch golf course community in December.

A relative in Florida who declined to give his name said their family felt "pure shock" when told about Limongello's death.

"He was a great person, the nicest guy you could ever meet," the relative said during a brief phone conversation. "He was a really hard-working guy."

Other family members refused to talk about Limongello, saying they were in too much pain.

Limongello's body was found about 8 a.m. Monday by a storekeeper or maintenance person, Monahan said. He had been there for "hours, not days." Monahan declined to say whether Limongello had any valuables in his possession and wouldn't speculate as to what might have happened before he was killed.

"We go by evidence, not theories," Monahan said.

Almost a week earlier, on May 5, the body of 39-year-old former model Simone Hirst was found in an alley near 11th Street and Stewart Avenue. She had been beaten in the head, police said.

Monahan said Hirst, who lived in Park City, Utah was last seen downtown about 3 a.m. on May 5. She had been with people she met that night, and detectives have interviewed them.

"We're keeping an open mind" regarding suspects, Monahan said. "We're making progress."