Police raid home of slain casino executive’s wife

Jen Lawson

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

Metro Police recently raided the Henderson home of a slain casino executive's wife looking for evidence that may link her to the May 26 killing.

Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said detectives served a search warrant about two weeks ago at Sandra Allmaras' home, which she shares with a male companion, because they had reason to believe clues to Steven Allmaras' homicide would be found there.

Monahan declined to say what, if anything, of value was found.

Sandra Allmaras could not be reached for comment.

Steven Allmaras' sister, Sarah Allmaras, said he had $800,000 in life insurance and that she and other relatives are preparing to file a wrongful death suit against Sandra Allmaras if she is granted the money.

"It looks like she was in debt," Sarah Allmaras said."We just don't want her to benefit from this."

Monahan wouldn't discuss motive or suspects.

"My detectives are working very hard on that case like they do with every case," he said. "How far are we from catching the killer? We never know where we are in the race until we are at the endgame. They aren't dead in the water."

After Allmaras' death, police found that someone had charged about $10,000 on his credit cards, and they are trying to determine if that has anything to do with his homicide.

Allmaras, 49, a slot manager at the Virgin River hotel-casino in Mesquite, was bludgeoned and stabbed to death in his home on Palmyra Drive near Jones Boulevard and Desert Inn Road.

Sandra Allmaras and their three teenage triplets were at the movies watching "Shrek II" at the time Steven Allmaras was killed. They found him dead when they returned home about 10:30 p.m.

The brutality of the attack suggests Allmaras might have been acquainted with his killer, police said. Also, police did not find any obvious signs of forced entry.

In August, Sandra Allmaras sold the 4,500-square-foot home for $625,000, assessor records show.

Steven Allmaras, originally from North Dakota, was known as a quiet, hardworking, man with a successful career in the gaming industry, police said.

Over the years he worked for several resorts in Mesquite -- commuting 80 miles one way from Las Vegas -- and five years ago worked for George Maloof as the controller of what now is the Fiesta-Rancho.

Sarah Allmaras said she is pleased that police haven't put this case on the back burner. But she's not happy with what they seem to be uncovering.

"We are all just really disappointed," she said. "The police obviously have a direction to go in, and according to them it (the killing) was done solely for money."