Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 | 11:24 a.m.
Sun Archives
- Trials separated for teens facing death penalty in trailer park slayings (2-8-10)
- Teens accused in death of parents to stand trial (11-17-2009)
- Teen accused of shooting friend’s parents faces new charge (11-2-2009)
- Teens charged in couple’s slaying appear in court (10-5-2009)
- Teen accused in deaths: ‘I let myself be used’ (10-2-2009)
- Son of slain couple arrested near Hoover Dam (10-1-09)
- Man, woman found dead in mobile home park (9-30-09)
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A judge ruled today the trials for two teens facing the death penalty in the slaying of one of the teen’s parents will begin next February.
Timothy Chester and Victor Veliz, both 18, each are facing two counts of murder in the Sept. 30, 2009, deaths of Chester’s parents, Timothy and Carla Chester, at their east Las Vegas Valley mobile home. Thomas Chester was shot to death and Carla Chester died from stab wounds and blunt force trauma injuries. A knife was protruding from her neck when her body was found, Metro Police said.
The teens are also facing charges of burglary with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder. Chester is facing a robbery charge for allegedly taking his parents’ car after the slayings.
District Court Judge Donald Mosley earlier this month granted a request from Veliz’s attorneys to sever the defendants, whose trial had been slated to begin in December. In front of the judge today, attorneys on both sides expressed concerns about conducting the two trials, which will run back-to-back, during the holidays.
The first trial is now set to begin Feb. 22, 2011.
Each trial is expected to take at least two weeks. It hasn’t been decided whether Veliz or Timothy Chester will stand trial first.
Veliz, his shaggy hair brushed in front of his face, appeared alongside his attorneys in court this morning. Timothy Chester was ill and wasn’t transported for the hearing.
Authorities have said Timothy Chester plotted to kill his family and instructed Veliz, his best friend, to shoot his parents. Timothy Chester had also wanted his sister and brother-in-law dead, a police officer testified at a preliminary hearing in the case, but they weren’t home at the time.
Veliz’s parents were supposed to be killed by Timothy Chester, but Veliz changed his mind, police said.
Veliz was arrested Sept. 30 at his home after his mother called 911. He told her about the crime immediately afterward and asked her to call police, according to an arrest report.
Timothy Chester was arrested Oct. 1 after he aroused suspicion by walking along U.S. 93 near the Hoover Dam. His parents’ vehicle was found along the Arizona highway.
Both are being held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center.
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