Killer sentenced to four consecutive life terms

By Matt Pordum

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2005 | 9:39 a.m.

A judge said a man convicted of beating and shooting two young men to death in August 2000 "should not walk among us" as she sentenced him to four consecutive life sentences without parole on Wednesday.

Stephen Ciolino said "thank you, your honor" after District Judge Jennifer Togliatti issued Ciolino's fate for the slayings of 21-year-old David Bender and 22-year-old Steve Szany.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly said the murders were carried out for "retribution" over a prior dispute Ciolino's accomplice, Eugene Goodman, had with the victims over "money or drugs."

Weckerly said Szany was shot in the forehead, chest, upper arm and clavicle and suffered bruises on his back, wrists, elbows and head at the hands of Ciolino and Goodman. She said Bender wasn't shot, but was stabbed in the back, neck, chest and face and suffered a skull fracture during the attack.

Weckerly said witnesses saw Ciolino, Goodman and Cyndy Wasso "joking and laughing about the crime" while they gambled at a casino later in the day of the murders

Ciolino, who pleaded guilty, was the last of three people sentenced in connection with the killings.

A Clark County jury convicted Goodman of the two murders in March 2004 and he was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole by current Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle.

Wasso, who police believe drove Goodman and Ciolino to the scene of the slaying and served as the getaway driver and helped clean up the blood-soaked car, pleaded guilty to accessory to murder and was sentenced to two to five years in prison in July 2004.

Weckerly said that despite Ciolino's claims he was a new person due to finding religion she said sentencing him to life in prison without parole "shows more mercy that he deserves."

Ciolino displayed two different sides of himself in court on Wednesday. Prior to his case being called he was seen smiling several times at his attorneys, but when at the defendant's table his mood quickly changed.

Ciolino, red-faced and standing in chains before Togliatti, said "I'm the man responsible for murdering your sons, please forgive me." He said he was "sorry for what happened, sorry for what I did."

Bender's mother, Eulalia Gore, who addressed Ciolino directly when making her statement, said both her son and Szany were "ready to step out and do something with their life and now they never will."

She said her son was about to start his first day of work at a new job when he was instead awakened and murder by Ciolino and Goodman.

She did say she noticed a change in Ciolino's demeanor as compared to previous court appearances in which she said he was "cocky." Ciolino interrupted Gore saying, "Yes I was."

Gore said she saw a study Bible in front of him at the defendant's table and she hoped he used what he learns so when he goes to prison he can "tell people what you did and tell them they don't have to be like you are."

Szany's mother, Anita, was less forgiving as she told the court "not a day goes by that our hearts don't ache, where the pain is like a knife being stabbed in my heart."

"I hope you (Ciolino) experience the torture and pain you made David and his roommate suffer that day," Anita Szany said.

Bender's sister, Michelle, said "1,604 days ago" her brother was murdered and her life had been an "eternity of pain" since. She said her life has been torn apart and made her unable to work or remain in Las Vegas.

She said Ciolino should "welcome with open arms whatever sentence you are punished with because you deserve it."