News briefs for March 3, 2004

Wednesday, March 3, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

Coroner identifies man buried in yard

A body found buried six months ago in a back yard on Eighth Place near downtown Las Vegas has been identified as 44-year-old Cecil Walter Wilson, the Clark County coroner's office said this morning.

Wilson could have been buried in the back yard of Anna Mitchel's home in the John S. Park neighborhood for up to three years, authorities said.

Mitchel was arrested July 21 after she asked a roommate to help her move the body. The roommate called police after seeing an arm sticking out of the ground.

Mitchel was scheduled to go to trial next week, but District Judge Sally Loeher postponed it this morning because a plea deal may be negotiated.

Whether Mitchel will go to trial or plead guilty to Wilson's murder should be announced by March 10, court officials said.

Man tries to rob market slot worker

Metro Police are looking for a man who tried to rob a slot machine attendant Monday night at a Smith's grocery store on Maryland Parkway near Sahara Avenue.

The attempted robbery occurred about 10:30 p.m. at the grocery store at 2540 S. Maryland Parkway. The man pointed a large semiautomatic handgun at the attendant, threatened to kill her and demanded money, Sgt. Al Cervantes of Metro's robbery section said.

The attendant refused to hand over any money and the man ran out of the store, Cervantes said.

The man is described as white between the ages of 25 and 30 and about 5 feet, 8 inches. He had red hair and several days worth of facial hair growth, which was also red, police said. He was last seen wearing dark clothing and a dark baseball cap.

Anyone with information is asked to call the robbery section at 229-3591 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Father takes son at gunpoint

A man used a gun to abduct his 4-year-old son from the child's mother Tuesday morning, police said.

Father and son were found about 90 minutes later in Searchlight.

Michael Fisher had lured the mother of his son to Las Vegas from her home in Arizona to get her car repaired, North Las Vegas Police spokesman Officer Timothy Bedwell said.

Just after 2 p.m. Fisher took his son at gunpoint from Mel's Automotive, 2929 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Bedwell said.

About 3:30 p.m., a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper found Fisher, a female companion and the boy driving through Searchlight.

Fisher and the companion, Norma Benge, were charged with kidnapping with the use of a deadly weapon.

Roberts quits GOP for Romanian race

Nevada's Republican chairwoman announced Tuesday that she has resigned her post so she can focus on running for president of Romania, the country of her birth.

Lia Roberts, 54, immigrated to the United States in 1979 and was selected as chairwoman of the Nevada Republican Party last year. Roberts, who holds dual citizenship, announced her candidacy two weeks ago in Bucharest.