Las Vegas news briefs for November 20, 2003

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003 | 9:51 a.m.

Woman found dead in LV home

A 24-year-old woman was found dead at her central Las Vegas home, and her husband was in critical condition Wednesday night, Metro Police said.

Officers had gone to the home in the 100 block of N. 20th St. about 6 p.m. after receiving a 911 call about a man who called a friend and said he had just shot his wife and was about to turn the gun on himself.

By the time officers arrived at the home, 24-year-old Hilda Mercedes Artiga was dead and her husband was in grave condition, Metro Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

The injured man's name was not available this morning, police said.

The couple had two children, but neither was at home at the time of the shooting.

Venetian questions shopping center

A new shopping center on the Strip received tentative approval from the Clark County Commission on Wednesday.

The approval came despite concerns raised by representatives of The Venetian. Paul Larsen, attorney for The Venetian, said the hotel has concerns about the impact of traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The shopping center would be on the site of the old Rosewood Grille, and would include a Walgreens, a parking garage and several restaurants. The owners of the Rosewood Grille and the management of The Venetian were noted for their litigious disagreements, but Larsen said the hotel's concerns now are strictly about traffic.

Chris Kaempfer, representing owner Cap II Buccaneer LLC, said the applicant has tried to resolve all of the traffic issues.

"We will coordinate with The Venetian to the extent that we can," he said.

The applicant has to provide a full traffic study before construction can begin.

Former cabdriver gets life in prison

The former cabdriver who pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges stemming from a string of taxicab robberies was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday.

Wagnaw "Kevin" Getahun, 38, had pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon and a single count first-degree kidnapping with use of a deadly weapon in an August crime spree in which several cabbies and passengers were robbed at gunpoint.

District Judge Donald Mosley sentenced Getahun to life in prison with parole possible after 10 years on the kidnapping charge.

He was sentenced to two to seven years in prison on each robbery charge, but those sentences will run concurrent with the life sentence.

In exchange for Getahun's guilty plea, prosecutors dropped multiple other charges, including grand larceny auto, burglary while in possession of a firearm and attempted robbery with use of a deadly weapon.