Hotel boss sees no reason for slaying

Jen Lawson

Friday, May 28, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

Steven Allmaras, slot manager at the Virgin River hotel in Mesquite, had a regular day at work Tuesday. He left about 6 p.m., then made the 80-mile drive to his home in southwest Las Vegas.

His wife and 14-year-old triplets were at a movie when he got to his house on Palmyra Avenue near Jones Boulevard and Desert Inn Road.

While he was there by himself, someone came into the house, Metro Police said, and bludgeoned and stabbed him.

"We have no idea what would have motivated this," Lt. Tom Monahan of Metro's homicide section said.

The brutality of the attack suggests Allmaras might have been acquainted with his killer.

Detectives were interviewing people who knew Allmaras, including professional associates, to see if his slaying could somehow be connected to his career.

Randy Black Sr., owner of the Virgin River, said Thursday he had no reason to believe Allmaras was killed because of his employment at the casino. He began working there in March as the slot manager, one of the casino's top positions.

Detectives on Wednesday interviewed Allmaras' former employer, Greg Lee, president of the Eureka in Mesquite. Allmaras began as the casino manager in January 2000 and left in September 2003 for Virgin River.

Lee said he told detectives there were never any problems with Allmaras' work performance.

"He was a hard-working guy," said Lee, son of casino owner Ted Lee. "Quiet, self-effacing. I never saw him lose his temper. He was experienced, competent and honest."

Police could find no obvious signs of forced entry and they weren't able to determine if anything was missing from the home, but Monahan said the house was not ransacked.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or Metro's homicide section at 229-3521.