News briefs for Nov. 24, 2003

Monday, Nov. 24, 2003 | 9:29 a.m.

Murder-suicide remains mystery

Metro Police said they have no motive for the apparent murder-suicide of a man and a woman found in a home in the 2700 block of Brookstone Court, near Fort Apache Road and Sahara Avenue.

The man and the woman were neighbors and friends, Metro homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

According to authorities, Diane Rybko, 63, of Las Vegas went to visit neighbor Donald Fitzpatrick, 76, of Las Vegas on Friday after he had cared for her elderly mother while Rybko buried her husband in Chicago last week.

Rybko had brought Fitzpatrick a T-shirt as a gift. A family member went to check on her when she had not returned after 9 p.m. and discovered the bodies, Monahan said.

Based on the evidence at the scene, detectives concluded that Fitzpatrick shot the woman with a rifle, then turned the gun on himself.

The motive for the attack is unknown, Monahan said.

Neighbors were shocked at the mysterious homicide.

Prison escapee is captured

A 43-year-old man who escaped Nov. 14 from the High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs was arrested Friday morning at a home near D Street and Van Buren Avenue after a brief standoff.

Metro Police received a tip about Antione Jean's whereabouts and he was taken into custody by Metro officers and the U.S. Marshals Service, officials said.

Jean, who worked in the prison kitchen, escaped from the prison by hiding on a vendor truck, Nevada Department of Corrections spokesman Howard Skolnik said.

Two arrested in fatal shooting

Two men were arrested Friday in connection with a fatal shooting at a Las Vegas bar.

Victor Buena, 35, and Carlos Pantajo, 25, both of Las Vegas, were charged by Metro Police homicide detectives with murder with a weapon shortly after the shooting in the parking lot of Pepe's Bar at 1729 E. Charleston Blvd. near Bruce Street, Metro homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Jerardo Chavez, 27, of Las Vegas was killed and three other people were injured, police said. Patrol officers spotted Buena and Pantajo speeding away from the bar in a pickup truck, pulled it over and took them into custody. A gun thrown from the truck is believed to be the one used in the shooting, police said.

Monahan said it appears the shooting was a result of a conflict that began inside the bar and spilled out into the parking lot.

Motorcyclist killed in collision

A Las Vegas man was killed when his motorcycle hit a truck near a Henderson intersection Friday night, Metro Police said.

Selwyn Rush, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6 p.m. accident at East Windmill Lane and Spencer Street.

Rush was riding a 1980 Harley Davidson motorcycle west on Windmill when a 1988 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Christopher Hartery turned left in front of him, police said.

Hartery saw the motorcycle and tried to stop, police said, but Rush could not avoid the truck.

Failure to yield the right of way appears to be the cause of the crash, police said.

Man arrested in mother's killing

Police arrested a 52-year-old man after finding his mother dead in a home in the 2000 block of Magic Way near Boulder Highway.

Thomas Ferguson was arrested on one count of murder with a deadly weapon.

The body of the victim was discovered about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The coroner's office had not positively identified the victim this morning.

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