Trial ordered in killing of tourist at McDonald’s

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005 | 8:56 a.m.

Two men accused of robbing two McDonald's restaurants and killing a convention attendee who attempted to stop them from fleeing will stand trial, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo ruled Tuesday.

Charles Anthony Walker and Shawn White are scheduled for arrangement before District Judge Joe Bonaventure on Feb. 23 for the killing of 49-year-old Thomas Latimer of Maitland, Fla., and multiple charges of robbery and burglary.

Dennis Cross, who was attending the World of Concrete show at the Las Vegas Convention Center with Latimer, said the pair were eating lunch at the McDonald's on Paradise Road near Twain Avenue on Jan. 21 when they heard a scream come from the cash register area.

Cross identified Walker in court as the man he saw pointing a gun at the register while White jumped over the counter and stole the money. He said Walker left the restaurant first, and when White followed him out,, Latimer chased him.

Cross said Latimer and White "had their hands on each other" in the parking lot and Walker was in the driver's seat of a grey four-door car. He said Latimer and White exchanged punches, prompting Walker to make a move.

"Walker got out of the car with one foot on the floor board and one outside," Cross said. "Latimer and White separated and Walker fired two shots into Latimer. He (Latimer) turned around and dropped to the ground. White got into the car and they drove off."

Cross took down the license plate number on the car before returning to Latimer, who lay on the ground of the parking lot. He said he would later identify Walker and White as the culprits to police.

Less than 20 minutes later police pulled over and arrested Walker and White near Sierra Vista Drive and Swenson Street after identifying a car matching the one witnessed by Cross.

Latimer was taken to University Medical Center, where he died of his wounds early on Jan. 22.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas said he would be seeking the death penalty against Walker and is still investigating whether or not enough evidence to warrant the death penalty exists against White.

Earlier in the preliminary hearing the cashiers from the McDonald's where the killing occurred as well as one at 3815 S. Maryland Parkway testified that White and Walker ordered food and paid for it, but then pulled a gun on the cashiers as the registers opened.