Canadian’s trial set in countryman’s death

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

A man accused of robbing and killing a fellow Canadian tourist he met playing poker at a Las Vegas Strip resort pleaded not guilty before District Judge Nancy Saitta on Monday.

Greg Takung Chao, 31, is scheduled to go to trial Feb. 7 on charges of robbery with use of a deadly weapon and murder with use of a deadly weapon for the December 1997 killing of Donald Idiens at the Imperial Palace.

Chao, a Canadian citizen who lived in British Columbia, had been on probation for an extortion conviction when he was arrested this month in connection with the Idiens case. He was extradited from Canada for the Las Vegas case.

Idiens, who was from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, had been gambling at The Mirage on Dec. 8, 1997, when he received a telephone call and, showing concern, suddenly left the poker table, according to a police report.

His body was found the next day on a 17th floor stairwell at the Imperial Palace. He died from a blow to the head, police said.

An employee at the Imperial Palace noticed abnormalities in Chao's room, which was near where the body was found, police said. Evidence in the room indicated Idiens was killed there, according to police.

Police have said they believe the killing was robbery- or debt-related.

Phil Barber, a longtime friend of Idiens, said Idiens met Chao while playing poker at The Mirage and loaned him $1,000, the report said. Barber said Idiens left $800 in chips behind when he left the game at The Mirage. He said Chao also usually carried several thousand dollars in cash, but Chao did not have that kind of money on him when he was found.