Convicted killers’ pleas for clemency to be heard

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003 | 8:58 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Ten convicted killers, including seven from Clark County, are among 19 prisoners whose requests for clemency will be heard by the state Pardons Board on Dec. 12.

The applicants include a former politician, a man involved in a murder-for-hire plot, and four people who became killers while still in their teens. All are serving life terms, and four of the six have sentences that do not allow for parole. The applicants and their cases include:

Azbill, 76, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Rose Maple Azbill, whose burned body was found in their home in December 1967. Azbill's son Brad testified at the trial that his father killed his mother because she had learned he had married her only for her money and she was going to divorce him.

Hilda's throat was slit and her husband, Marvin, was beaten in their home.

LaPena's girlfriend Rosalie Maxwell worked at Caesars Palace and was dating Marvin, who was manager of the slot machines at that casino. According to testimony at the trial, the plot was for Rosalie to marry Marvin and later inherit his fortune for herself and LaPena.

Shaw, now 32, has been paroled from one of her life terms and wants to be released from her second term. She was convicted of shooting 21-year-old James C. Kelly. She killed him to steal $1,400 to bail her boyfriend out of jail.

Several teens testified Shaw bragged about the killing and took them to view the body.

In June 2002, the Pardons Board denied the application of Shaw and at that time the board chairman, Gov. Kenny Guinn, told her she could return in two or three years to ask the board to commute her life sentence to permit her to immediately apply for parole.

Testimony at the trial indicated that Allen and his companion wanted cash for cocaine. Allen said he panicked and shot first. Sylvester was armed, according to reports. Allen's death sentence was commuted to life without parole by the Nevada Supreme Court. He is asking the board to allow him to be allowed to apply for parole.

The board has also received an application for clemency from John Olausen, 42, who was once sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of Reno police undercover drug agent James D. Hoff in 1979. Olausen, whose term was reduced to life without the possibility of parole, is asking that he be allowed to apply for parole.

One of his co-defendants, Edward Wilson, is still on death row and two others were sentenced to life terms without the possibility of parole.

The pardons board is composed of the governor, attorney general and seven justices of the Nevada Supreme Court.