Teen accused in deaths: ‘I let myself be used’

Victor Antonio Veliz says victims’ son held gun on him before shootings

Metro Police

Timothy Chester, left, and Victor Antonio Veliz, both 18, were arrested in the deaths of Thomas Chester, 57, and Carla Chester, 51.

By Mary Manning (contact)

Published Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 | 11:35 a.m.

Updated Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 | 3:46 p.m.

Accused Killer Speaks

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Victor Antonio Veliz, 18, is accused of killing Carla and Thomas Chester, the couple found slain in their mobile home in eastern Las Vegas on Wednesday. Veliz spoke with Las Vegas Sun reporters Mary Manning and Denise Spidle about why he did it, the guilt, regret and anger he feels, and why he wants the death penalty.

Son of slain couple arrested near Hoover Dam (10-1-09)
Man, woman found dead in mobile home park (9-30-09)

Death investigation

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Death investigation

The 18-year-old accused of slaying a Las Vegas couple on Wednesday says his best friend -- and the son of the victims -- pointed a gun at him before the fatal shootings.

Victor Antonio Veliz is accused of shooting Thomas and Carla Chester and stabbing the mother in her neck with a kitchen knife, according to police reports.

In an jail interview today at the Clark County Detention Center, Veliz said he felt used and no longer considered Timothy Chester his friend.

"I'm not that scared of anything that happens to me right now, because I probably deserve it," Veliz said. "I let myself be used."

Veliz and Timothy Chester, both 18, had been best friends for about two years before the events unfolded Wednesday at the Chester mobile home in the Heritage Mobile Home Park, 1515 S. Mojave Road. The teens met at Chaparral High School.

Veliz described how he had few friends after moving from Anaheim, Calif., to Las Vegas with his family about six years ago. "I guess I scare most people," he said.

"I really had a lot of trust in him, when we were in his home," Veliz said of Timothy Chester.

The two played Internet games together and rarely left their homes.

"I dropped out of high school so I didn't have a lot of choices, but I wanted to join the Army," Veliz said.

Police said Veliz and Timothy Chester went to Chester's home, where Chester handed Veliz a handgun. Timothy Chester, who retrieved another gun from his father's bedroom, told police he saw Veliz shoot his father and he left the mobile home shortly after that, according to an arrest report.

Veliz did not deny the homicides, but says Timothy Chester pointed a gun at him and he feared for his own life.

"When I kind of came back to consciousness, sort of, he was nowhere around," Veliz said. Veliz said his lawyer told him not to elaborate.

Veliz says he feels distrust, rage and anger toward his former friend.

After allegedly killing the couple, Veliz said he went to his house and told his mother, who called police. Asked why she called Metro, Veliz said, "I asked her to. I did not want her to be any part of this. She's blaming herself."

Veliz, his hands shackled behind him, talked to reporters while on a TV screen, answering questions on a black telephone. He hunched over in his chair, his black hair hiding his face throughout the 10-minute interview.

As for his own future, Veliz said, "To be honest, I'd rather just have the death penalty on me, just be out of the way."

Veliz apologized to the Chester family.

"I'm sorry," he said in the interview. He said he regrets what he did, but fears for the family.

"I'd also like them to be careful of the son, too. He's smarter than he looks."

Timothy Chester refused all jail interviews.

Police: Timothy Chester wanted his entire family dead

Timothy Chester told police that he planned to kill his entire family, according to an arrest report released Friday.

"(Timothy) Chester said the plan was to kill all the members of his family by putting them against a wall and shooting them in the head," the arrest report says.

He was arrested Thursday after Hoover Dam security guards found him wandering on U.S. 93 as he approached the dam from the Arizona side and aroused suspicions because he was walking along the side of the highway.

Veliz told police, according to an arrest report, that Timothy Chester had said he wanted to kill his parents and stab his mother to death. Timothy Chester gave Veliz the gun used to kill the parents, the report said.

Police learned that Timothy, his sister and their parents had gotten into an argument Tuesday night about the conditions inside the mobile home. The parents, Timothy, the sister, her husband and two children were all living there, the police report says.

The argument did not end in any physical violence and police were not called.

About 9 a.m. Wednesday, Timothy Chester's father gave him a ride to Veliz's house and dropped him off. About noon, Timothy Chester and Veliz walked back to the Chester mobile home and Veliz had the gun Timothy had given him. The gun was taken from his father's safe, the report indicated.

Once the plot to kill the entire Chester family had been carried out, Timothy and Veliz planned to leave Las Vegas and go to California before their final destination of Guatemala, the police report says. The two had talked about killing the Chester parents in the next week.

When Timothy Chester and Veliz arrived at the mobile home, his mother was asleep on the couch in the living room and his father was in the kitchen working on the computer, the report says. The two briefly spoke to the father then went into Timothy's bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, Timothy handed Veliz a magazine for the pistol and Veliz loaded the pistol.

After Chester and Veliz left the bedroom, Veliz allegedly shot Thomas Chester as he stood next to the front door, the report says. After the father was shot, he tried to get into the master bedroom, but Timothy got there ahead of him, preventing him from entering.

Timothy got a semiautomatic pistol from the master bedroom closet and loaded it, according to the police report. When he left the bedroom, he saw his father lying on the floor behind the couch. His mother, who was physically disabled, stood up, screaming.

After seeing his father on the floor, Timothy grabbed the keys to his parents' SUV and ran from the mobile home, the report said. He did not know what happened to his mother after he left, he said.

Timothy Chester denied shooting or stabbing either of his parents. He told police Veliz committed the crimes, but the idea to kill his parents was his.

Police arrested Chester at Hoover Dam and recovered the vehicle in Arizona. During the recorded interview, Timothy Chester said "he hated his parents and that's why he wanted to kill them," the police report indicated.

Discussion: 16 comments so far…

By davidwayneosedach

10/2/09 at 12:06 p.m.

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They actually thought they were going to get away with it! What cretins!
By wavyhorses

10/2/09 at 12:38 p.m.

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Such a stupid and pointless crime. Why didn't they just runaway from home like normal unhappy children.They already had the clown faces to join the Circus. What a waste.
By fencer

10/2/09 at 12:55 p.m.

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Can you say "Death Penalty"....!!
By afveteran

10/2/09 at 3:17 p.m.

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Can you say drugs and/or alcohol?
By JSpence07

10/2/09 at 3:49 p.m.

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Both 18 years old. If you were so unhappy being pathetic and living with your parents, how about you just get a job and move out? Hey, if you're such BFF's, you could live together! Now you can live together in a jail cell while us Nevadans have to support you. Just kill them now.
By LasVegas2009

10/2/09 at 4:18 p.m.

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Someone needs to shut up and get a lawyer.
By bdover

10/2/09 at 7:49 p.m.

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It's estimated that the Nevada Corrections system spends $2.33 a day on food for their guests. Hope they like tacos.
By sandy99

10/3/09 at 6:08 a.m.

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Horrible....
Chester's sister and her family are lucky to still be alive.
By Burrittobandit2

10/3/09 at 10:18 a.m.

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Is it me or the does the guy on the left look like Jack Black?
By EdwardJoseph

10/3/09 at 1:07 p.m.

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I never thought that Timothy would do this....I knew his father for 4 years because i would stay with my grandparents who lived in that mobile home park and I met Timothy a couple of times but i never thought of him being capable to do this. Im shocked!
By GrandmaCrabby

10/3/09 at 4:20 p.m.

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The killers are turning against each other already. The one who is saying he was "used" is just trying a standard BS jailhouse defense. "Oh, no, I'm not responsibe for my own actions in murdering two innocent people; I was used."

Nice try. No sale.
By Vegasvampire

10/4/09 at 1:47 a.m.

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Yeah, he was definitely used. I love the younger set blame their actions on someone else instead of looking into a mirror first. "It's not my fault" that I did this. Well, I say "Yes it is!"
By jeezlouise

10/4/09 at 7:02 a.m.

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When I read this story 2 days ago, I almost felt bad for the kid because he said his parents were abusive and his dad drank and blah, blah, blah. Looking at the photos- and reading about how they did nothing all day-They are both a couple of useless, lazy, slobs. The parents should have sent him packing with a police escort to reform school or wherever. What an idiot his friend is. To kill 2 innocent people because some dirty slob told you to? They committed the worst crime in our society, to kill the people that created you and gave you life. What a couple of absolute losers those 2 thugs are. Have fun with your new "boyfriends"
By Rocco

10/4/09 at 9:13 a.m.

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i'm telling you not everyone should be able to have kids its a very nazi party view which i have am not a fan of but these guys were created and molded into the filth that they are...trust me a teenage boy from 12- 21 years old if they are not nurtured and reigned in is capable of anything.... and why is this guy talking? and who are those parsites that are asking this idiot questions?....I'm all for investigative journalisim but what value is interviewing this kid?...He's done life over we can ask him all those why questions later when he's not in a traumatic fog......we got nothing from that interview...Great i know now this kid wants to die.....like i didnt know that...... some time reporters are just scum.... go investagate somthing that enlightens us.....
By Phargo

10/4/09 at 10:04 a.m.

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The most terrifying thing about this story is when they get their "life w/o parole" sentence they'll be out in time for their 43rd birthday. Some dogooder will find a redeeming quality in these two malignant weasels. I say give 'em each a 45 caliber enema.
By ChrisU

10/5/09 at 11:36 a.m.

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Everyone is wrong about Victor. I Know Victor and his parents. He is seriously messes up in the head, but he is not normally a bad kid. He never got any attention from his parents and he used to cut himself a lot. I always knew Tim was bad news but he had a hard life. Victor needs to be evaluated by a doctor he is in bad metal shape.
I feel bad for him even though what he did was wrong and terrible you guys need to understand what he was like.