Las Vegas doctor pleads guilty to obstruction in death of golfer Erica Blasberg

By Jackie Valley

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 | 4:04 p.m.

A Las Vegas doctor accused of removing items from the scene where professional golfer Erica Blasberg committed suicide in May pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice Wednesday in Henderson Municipal Court.

Thomas Hess, a family practice doctor, appeared before Judge Diana Hampton, where he pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge.

Hess was sentenced to attend an impulse counseling class, complete 48 hours of community service and remain under the supervision of the alternative sentencing group. If he meets those conditions and isn't arrested, his case will be dismissed after one year, said David Hayward, Henderson Municipal Court administrator.

Police responded at 3:15 p.m. May 9 to Blasberg's home in the Anthen community in the 2600 block of Hotel de Ville Terrace, where they found her dead with a plastic bag over her head, investigators said. She was 25.

Hess, who called 911 that day, admitted to altering the scene by hiding Blasberg's suicide note in his vehicle, along with prescription medication taken from her house, police said.

In August, the Clark County Coroner's Office ruled her death a suicide due to asphyxia and toxic levels of prescription medication in her system.

Blasberg, who was in her sixth season on the LPGA tour, was a former junior golf standout as an All-American in 2003 and 2004. While at the University of Arizona, she was named the 2003 NCAA Freshman of the Year and 2003 Pac-10 Player of the Year.

She turned professional in June 2004. Her best year on the tour was 2008, when she earned more than $113,000.