Suspect’s alibi challenged in slaying of nightclub singer

Lynn Doan

Friday, June 25, 2004 | 9:34 a.m.

A police detective testified Thursday that a 49-year-old man charged in last month's slaying of his ex-girlfriend lied to him about where he had been on the night of her death.

After hearing that and a previous day's testimony on the case, North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Natalie Tyrrell ruled that Joseph Suggs should face murder charges in District Court in the death of Ana Outcalt of Las Vegas, a 38-year-old nightclub singer. The trial is scheduled to begin July 8.

Outcalt's body was found May 29 in Henderson near Lake Mead Parkway and Pabco Road. She had been strangled with a rope, authorities said.

A day later Henderson police arrested Suggs.

Metro Detective Robert Wilson testified that Suggs told the detective that he had stopped in for a few drinks at PT's Bar before heading to Outcalt's home that night. However, surveillance tapes showed no signs of Suggs at the bar that night, Wilson said.

Suggs also allegedly told Wilson that after visiting with Outcalt until early in the morning, he had driven back to his daughter's house, where he was living at the time, took a shower and headed to work, Wilson said.

After questioning Suggs' daughter and son-in-law, Wilson said it was clear to him that Suggs had lied about coming home that morning.

"I knew that he hadn't been there," Wilson said.

However Suggs' son-in-law Frank Degourville testified that Suggs could have been at his house that night, contrary to an earlier statement he had made to police.

Degourville originally told police that he had propped a chair in front of his house door on the night of Outcalt's death, so he could hear Suggs if he came back. When he awoke the next morning, Degourville said the chair was where he had left it.

On Thursday Degourville said he had actually positioned the chair the night after Outcalt's murder, after hearing that Suggs was a suspect. Degourville said he had simply confused his days.

After the hearing, Degourville said he was unsure whether or not his father-in-law was involved.

"I don't know," he said. "I just really don't know."

Chief Deputy District Ed Kane emphasized that Outcalt and Suggs had a violent relationship, which had led to a restraining order against Suggs.

Suggs also told Wilson that, during his visit, Outcalt ended their relationship, which Wilson said had angered Suggs.

Suggs' attorney, Robert Amundson, said he did not believe that Kane had established a connection between Suggs and Outcalt's murder.

"(Prosecutors) have clearly established that this was a homicide, but they have failed to clearly connect (Suggs) with the taking of human life," Amundson said.