School-slaying suspect had threatened his sister

Emily Richmond and Stephen Curran

Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

The man arrested Wednesday in connection with the shooting death of his sister at a Green Valley private school had been taken out of his father's will and had previously threatened his sister, the will's executor, according to police and court records.

Robert Charles Lamb, 54, was arrested at his home near the intersection of Sunset Road and Eastern Avenue by Henderson police after his sister's body was found outside Warren-Walker Elementary School on Windmill Parkway.

His sister, 49-year-old Susan Bivans had just dropped off her daughter -- a first grader at the school, police said.

Bivans had been named executor of their father's estate after his death in August 2003.

In the will, the Robert J. Lamb, their father, "intentionally and with full knowledge" omitted his son, threatening to void the benefits for anyone who disobeyed that portion of the will.

"I hereby generally and specifically disinherit each such person (who hinders carrying out the provisions of the will)," the elder Lamb's will noted.

Henderson Police would not say whether a contested will appeared to play a role in the shooting, but said preliminary investigation suggests there had been "a history of tension" between the brother and sister, Henderson Deputy Police Chief Richard Perkins said.

Henderson Police spokesman Keith Paul, saying the investigation is ongoing, would not comment on whether the will was a motive in the crime.

According to a July 2002 police report obtained by the Sun, Bivans had attempted to secure a restraining order against her brother, who had just moved to Nevada from Florida.

Paul said he did not know whether Bivans had been able to obtain a protective order.

According to the July 2002 police report, Lamb had physically threatened and harassed his sister, whose parents lived at her Henderson home, because, he said, he was attempting to get his "fair share of the (their parents') money.

"Susan is worried about what he might do ... in order to get the money," the report says.

The elder Lamb's estate was valued at less than $200,000, which did not include a 2,500-square-foot home he co-owned with Bivans, according to the retired insurance salesman's will.

Bivans' body was found next to her car after police reponded to reports of shots fired at the school about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

"If there's any silver lining to the tragedy it's that no children witnessed this horrific act," said Ron Bennett, headmaster of Warren-Walker.

Bennett had declined to identify the victim except to say her child had been a student at the school for several years. According to their father's will, Bivans was the younger Lamb's only sister.

Bennett said he was unaware of any simmering domestic disputes.

"This took us all completely by surprise," Bennett said.

The school was locked down while police searched the surrounding area for the shooter. Police said Lamb may have been involved in a minor traffic accident as he fled the scene of the shooting.

Lamb remained at the Henderson Detention Center this morning facing one count of murder.

The Clark County School District's crisis counseling team called to volunteer its services, for which Bennett said he was grateful. He also expressed his thanks to Henderson police who remained at the scene Wednesday, escorting children across Green Valley Parkway to their waiting parents and offering support to school personnel.

"Their primary concern was the children and the empathy they showed for our faculty and staff was tremendous," Bennett said.