Married couple get prison terms in death of man, 73

Friday, July 8, 2005 | 8:45 a.m.

A married couple who pleaded guilty to avoid the possibility of the death penalty in the killing of a 73-year-old Las Vegas man in 2002 were sentenced Thursday.

Keelee Chafford, 36, and 54-year-old James Wade both originally faced five felony counts in connection to the Aug. 9, 2002, death of Lloyd Nelson, 73.

But prosecutors agreed to let Chafford enter an Alford plea to one count of second-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and to let Wade enter an Alford plea to one count of voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon.

Under an Alford plea a defendant technically does not admit guilt but agrees that prosecutors could prove their case at trial.

District Judge Jackie Glass sentenced Chafford to 10 to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and a consecutive term of 28 to 72 months in prison for conspiracy to commit robbery.

Glass sentenced Wade to 8 to 20 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter, with a victim 65 years of age or older, and a consecutive 2 to 5 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit robbery charges.

Prosecutors alleged Chafford and Nelson had a romantic relationship. They said Nelson had been paying the couple's rent at their condominium on Grey Lane near the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Chafford often cleaned Nelson's home.

Prosecutors say that after the victim refused to continue paying the couple's rent, the couple used a rope or handcuffs to bind Nelson's wrists and neck while they beat him.

Nelson died from asphyxiation caused by strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head.

The pair allegedly stole several items belonging to Nelson, which included Nelson's GMC Jimmy, a gun and jewelry, and fled the state after the killing.

Chafford and Wade originally were charged with conspiracy, burglary, and first-degree kidnapping, robbery, and murder with use of a deadly weapon -- all of a victim 65 years of age or older.