Man describes slaying of wife in casino lot

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005 | 11:13 a.m.

The man whose 68-year-old wife was shot and killed during a robbery in the Suncoast casino parking lot in Summerlin on Tuesday morning had grabbed the robber's gun after his wife had tried to comply with the demand for money.

Ronald and Julie Miller had pulled into the Suncoast parking lot at 9090 Alta Drive about 10:45 a.m. when a man with a gun approached the couple and demanded money through the driver's window.

"He kept threatening to kill me," Miller told KLAS Channel 8.

His wife was next to him in the passenger seat of their Mitsubishi SUV. Miller was heading to valet parking.

Julie Miller immediately complied with the robber's demand, her husband and police said.

"She had the money in her hands. She said, 'Here take it. Take it all.' And he said, 'That's not enough, I'll kill you (expletive)!' "

A former Marine, Miller said he instinctively wanted to grab the barrel of the gun, which was pointed at him.

"Three or four times he threatened me with the gun ... I actually grabbed the (expletive) gun like this. He said. 'I'll pull the trigger. I mean it. I'll pull the (expletive) trigger.' "

The gunman made good on the threat. Police believe the bullet passed through Ronald Miller's arm and into his wife's chest. Julie Miller was rushed to University Medical Center, where she later died.

"I knew she had been hit," Miller told the television station. "There was blood everywhere."

Ron Miller, who was treated at the hospital and released, said it is difficult for him to accept his wife's death. She was loved by everyone, he said. Miller said he wouldn't think twice about avenging her violent death.

"If I had the opportunity, I'd kill that son of a bitch."

The couple had been married 49 years and have a daughter and four grandchildren, he said.

Suncoast management said that security is a top priority. Guards patrol the property 24 hours a day.

Police do have surveillance video of the suspect escaping, but not a detailed description of what he looks like. Metro Lt. Tom Monahan said investigators believe the man drove away in a silver Dodge Magnum station wagon.

Police are trying to enhance the quality of the video to see if they can read the license plate number.