Man accused of fatal choking, sex assault could face death penalty

By Cara McCoy

Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 | 9:37 a.m.

Prosecutors could pursue the death penalty against a California man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a Las Vegas woman in her northwest valley home last week.

Derrick Valentine, 37, appeared in court today in front of Senior Clark County District Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure for arraignment. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing within 15 days and a hearing was set for March 15.

Valentine, of Pasadena, Calif., was arrested Friday in the death and sexual assault of Melodie Walker, 35.

Metro Police said Valentine told investigators he choked Walker to death after he touched her sexually without her consent because he knew she would report the sexual assault to the authorities. Police said Tuesday they believed Walker's death to be domestic violence-related.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Lalli said the case has at least one aggravating circumstance that could lead prosecutors to seek the death penalty.

“Whether it will be a death penalty case will be determined by committee after preliminary hearing,” he said, which is the process in the district attorney’s office for evaluating potential capital cases.

According to an arrest report, in the midst of the sexual assault, Walker asked if she could get a drink of water, and as she went downstairs she ran into the garage, which triggered the alarm. A security guard who responded to the home found Valentine and Walker’s body. The security guard called police.

Valentine told police tried to clean up some of her blood with cleaning products and when that didn’t work, he drank some of the cleaning products in hopes that he would die.

Detectives found Walker partially undressed with injuries to her neck. She was taken to Centennial Hills hospital where she was pronounced dead. The Clark County Coroner’s Office said she had been strangled.

Valentine is being held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center.