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StumblePolice: Man accused in 2 murders cut inmate in prison
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 | 1:45 a.m.
Gregory Hover
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- Woman, shot in face and left for dead, survives to testify (3-19-10)
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- New details emerge in slaying of Hooters casino waitress (2-11-10)
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- Suicide attempt delays hearing for legal runner accused in shootings (2-10-10)
- Police: Legal runner returned to home, shot husband and wife (2-8-10)
- Police release photos in case of casino worker found dead (1-29-10)
- Police: Body found in abandoned car likely missing casino worker (1-19-10)
A man accused of murder in two separate cases picked up a new charge last week when he allegedly attacked another inmate at the Clark County Detention Center with a pair of scissors.
Gregory Lee Hover, 48, was cutting another inmate’s hair when he used the scissors to cut the man’s back, according to an arrest report. He is facing a charge of battery by a prisoner with use of a deadly weapon in connection with the incident.
A preliminary hearing in the matter is set for Thursday. The arrest report said Hover was taken to isolation after the incident.
Hover and an alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Richard Freeman, were arrested in February and are facing multiple felony counts in connection with a violent home invasion that left a man dead and the man’s wife with a gunshot to the face. They are also charged in the murder and sexual assault of a Hooter’s casino waitress whose body was found in a burned vehicle in the desert.
Police allege that Hover, who was a process server, shot two people on Jan. 25 at a house he had visited earlier in the day looking for a man Hover said owed $10,000 in a civil matter.
The homeowners – Julio Romero, 64, and his wife, Roberta – were both shot and a number of valuables were stolen.
The intruder shot Julio Romero dead, then robbed Roberta Romero at gunpoint before forcing her into a bedroom closet while he raided the dresser drawers, police said. While Roberta Romero was in the closet, the intruder opened the door and shot her in the face, according to arrest records.
She survived after multiple surgeries and a long hospital stay. She testified at a March preliminary hearing and identified Hover as the person who shot her.
Police say Freeman was waiting for Hover outside the home in Hover’s car while he was inside the Romeros’ house.
Authorities have said Hover and Freeman are suspected in a number of other crimes, including a series of armed robberies, but no charges related to the alleged spate of robberies have been filed.
In addition to the crimes against the Romeros, Hover and Freeman are charged with the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of 21-year-old Prisma Contreras 11 days earlier.
On Jan. 14, Contreras was reported missing by her family after she failed to return home from work at the Mad Onion restaurant at Hooters.
Boulder City Police officers found her blue 2006 Jeep Liberty with Nebraska license plates the next day. Authorities said the vehicle had been burned and Contreras’ body was inside.
The preliminary hearings in the January cases were continued until April 29. Prosecutors have said factors in both cases could lead them to pursue the death penalty against the men. A decision on whether to pursue the death penalty will be made after the preliminary hearings.
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wow,they let this suspected murderer near a pair of scissors and the gen pop,good going metro
They let the guy have a pair of scissors? Incredible.
scissors? are you kidding me! Why do these inmates have access to such weapons? Someone needs to re-take the prison 101 course. Whats next give them guns so they can target shoot??
Jeffery Dahmer used to attack people with a knife and fork.
Seriously....scissors? And why are inmates cutting each others hair?
Do they paint each other's toenails also?
This is the kind of story it's nice to see. Rather than the normal story about a convicted murderer being released on parole after a few years and trying to murder someone again. At least in this story, it's criminals attacking each other. Did we inadvertently discover a way to eliminate over-crowding in prisons? Group haircuts?
probably one of those child scissors which doesn't cut worth crap. Stop crying people.
First off, how is this a battery charge? Would that count as attempted murder? He tried to kill the guy right? Battery is punching the guy in the face or throwing a chair at him. According to the article, the guy stabbed the guy in the back with scissors.
I still say a way to eliminate over crowding of such scum and cut the gang banger creeps is to give them all AK's send them to a large stadium and the last ass standing is the hero. He then gets the needle. Simple solution. Really folks, does anyone really care if one creep offs another creep. Less for us to have to house and feed and pay for his defense because he was "out of his mind" at the time of his crime. Another way for a lawyer to get his 15 minutes of fame.
Oh, this is a good one. A man accused of two murders is given a scissors and allowed to cut someone's hair. I suppose, next, they were going to give him a straight razor, and allow him to shave someone. Sorry, Ha Ha Ha, I cant stop laughing!
The clowns at the DA's office are at again. Give a serial killer some sissors. Sure why not? Proper hair hygiene should be in the hands of murderous criminals.
They should give him a knife and another prisoner a pistol and lock them in a cell together. The winner gets hanged. End of story.
WHY DO LET PEOPLE LIKE THIS LIVE! HE HAS KILLED TWICE, AND NOW HE TRIES FOR A THIRD TIME. THIS GUY NEEDS TO BE PUT DOWN, JUST LIKE A DOG! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF OUR LEGAL SYSTEM. I WOULD RATHER HAVE MY TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR A CHILDS EDUCATION. $40,000 A YEAR TO HOUSE A INMATE, COULD PAY FOR A YEAR COLLAGE , AT A NICE UNIVERSITY. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH OUR SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO FIX IT!
Henderson has it right............scissors? I mean what moron allows this.God !!....
Hi-I am Gregory Hover's mother. Just one question? Why in the world would a detention center where he is- give a man who is accussed of murder- not once but twice- a pair of scissors? Weather he is innocent or guilty he is accused of the most horrific crimes and they give him scissors. And to begin with he was in the mental ward. Does that mean they give all mental prisoners accused of murder a weapon? I just think this is so horrible that the system is supplyling the means and the tools in which to do harm to others. Don't get me wrong. I will always love my son. But the system should never put others in danger no matter who they are. And the court and legal system will be the ones to judge him for all the crimes. He will have to pay for what he has done-one way or the other-weather it is the death sentence or living what life he has to be in prison for all time. No murderers should walk the streets. But until there is a conviction I cannot say weather he really has done all he is accussed of or not. I really do not know. And neither does anyone else except for the two that are accussed. Unless you were there. But my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, and for the families of the accussed-since we knew nothing of what was going on. At least both men are off the streets-where they cannot hurt anyone else, except there in jail.
@silverravenwolf - I wholeheartedly agree with you and applaud the fact that even though you are his mother, you're seeing things rationally and for what they are.
He is gonna graduate to shovels this summer!
This idiot killed two innocent people that had nothing to do with anything except being in the right place at the wrong time. Yes, I say right place because this guy had no business being there, they did. I would of killed him long ago for looking like he does. Probably one of the more ugly looking criminals I've seen. He probably set out to kill or rape anyone that looked better than him..that would of been 99% of Las Vegas and probably 100% of the Detention Center inmates, thus it explains the scissor incident. Sorry mom...but your son is what he looks like, a piece of shlt.
Brian- I do understand how you and all must feel. I am crushed over this. As far as he looks-well he did not always look like this. I can show you pictures as of last year where he looked normal and alot different. I do not know what happened. I do know that both Gregory and Ricky Freeman will get judged and have to live with whatever sentence they are given. I do look at things realalisticly. I just hope and pray that one day the victims families will be able to get on with their lives. And i do pray that the families of the accussed can also get on with their lives. It is hard on all concerned. I just wish that there would have been some sign of this. I would have tried to stop it. I do not live in las vegas. I learned about this when someone called me. I then called daughter-in-law and she was too crushed to talk to me at the time. So I went to your newspapers and read all about it. It was like reading a horror story. I just wish all the victims families will be able to someday live their lives.
I did just learn the reason Gregory sliced the other inmate. He was giving the other inmate a hair cut. The inmate threatened Gregs wife and 2 children. Greg lost it and sliced the other inmate. It is so wrong for others to take it out on the families, when they have nothing to do with any of this.
Gregorys Mom, For some reason I don't belive your story... Who is going to let an inmate cut his hair that has murdered, then say can you cut my hair, With sissors in hand then threaten his wife? while he has sissors? I mean really? I think he is just one sick person that likes to harm others and he had another chance and took it. And now trying to take the easy way out and try yet again to take his own life, I guess it would be less of the tax dollars we would have to pay if he actually did it.
SORRY YOU DO NOT BELIEVE ME. Read the story the reporter wrote on this. The jail did give him scissors to cut an inmates hair. The reporter is the one who wrote me and told me that the jail did give him the scissors. Then i found out the one he was cutting the hair for told him there was going to be retaliation for Prisma the 21 year old girl. They they were going after his wife and children. Now you can believe it or not. I have no reason to lie. I do not think that any families of any parties should be harmed. They had nothing to do with this.Carlton, the only thing I can say is read the reporters story. Do you believe she lied about the scissors and greg giving an inmate a haircut with the scissors???
oh no, I believe the story of how he got the sissors, but I do not believe that this guy made any threat, I think you are just trying to make an excuse for your son. We all know he's crazy.. Sick in the head, demented or any other type you want to call him... This just shows me who is the master mind behind the crimes... Haven't heard anything about Mr Freeman in the headline news about cutting someone... Just shows me your son is one sick person that gets off on hurting people
carlton: believe want you want. I am just telling you what I was told. It came out when they went to court the first time over this. I can only relay what was said. I cannot say weather it is true or not. I am not there. But from the police reports and courts this is what came out. And I am not making any excuses for my son. There are no excuses for anyone hurting anyone else.What I can't understand is why the jail would give an inmate accused of murder a pair of scissors to cut another inmates hair???
What were they thinking??
That is a good question what was anyone thinking, but then again what was he thinking when he commited the crimes he did? Then said yep i did it, like he was proud, according to what I read. and the same thing with cutting that inmates back yes I did it.. Like it's a badge of honor.. It just seems never to end, Like hurting others is something he gets off on or something.. And then trying to take the easy way out.. Maybe it's just me But i surely do not understand any of it... I really wish I did then when I went to sleep I wouldn't have to worry about if someone is going to break into my house, Or get me at my car. It is sad to see how things are now days in life, You have to watch over your shoulder at all times just make sure you are safe.
CARLTON-I agree with you- it is scary to wonder if your doors are locked or if anyone is going to break in. It frightens me. And I do wish I knew why he has done all the things he is accussed of. But I do not.I cannot even imagine what has happened. This is so horrible for me. But it is worse for the families of the victims and the accussed families. I was never afraid to leave my door unlocked or to go out at night alone. Now I bolt all the doors and I do not go out at night alone anyplace. If it could happen there in Vegas it can happen where I live. For me this is a horror. But I do love my son. But I do not go along with what he has done, or what that other guy Ricky Freeman has done. It is hard to think of a person that young-18 years old- just starting out in life doing this to other people. I do know they both go back to court tomorrow and on the 29th of this month and in May. We will see what sentence is recommended then. Wishing you all well.