Ex-boyfriend held without bail in ‘Fantasy’ dancer’s death

By Dave Toplikar

Published Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 | 10:48 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 | 11:55 a.m.

Jason Griffith made his first court appearance Tuesday morning before a North Las Vegas judge after being arrested Saturday in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend, Luxor "Fantasy" dancer Debora Flores Narvaez.

Griffith, 32, who is being held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center, appeared for a 72-hour hearing before Justice of the Peace Natalie Tyrrell via a video screen.

Tyrrell called out his name and Griffith walked slowly to a microphone in the jail. He said nothing and stood stoically in front of the camera.

"The charge is murder and you're going to continue to be held without bail at this time. You may be seated," Tyrrell told him from her North Las Vegas courtroom.

Later in the morning, the court set Griffith's formal arraignment for 8 a.m. Wednesday in North Las Vegas Justice Court.

Also Tuesday morning, the district attorney's office filed a formal complaint against Griffith, charging him with three felonies: murder, battery constituting domestic violence - strangulation, and destroying evidence.

The Clark County Coroner's Office ruled Tuesday her death was the result of asphyxiation due to neck compression.

According to a police report released Monday, Flores Narvaez's body was found dismembered, encased in concrete in two plastic tubs at a Las Vegas apartment after she had been missing since Dec. 12.

The police report indicates Griffith's roommate, Louis Colombo, said Griffith killed Flores Narvaez and that he helped Griffith try to dispose of the body.

Colombo, who has not been arrested, told police the two of them first encased the body in concrete in a large plastic tub. Colombo told police they tried to store it at a friend's apartment, but the woman refused when she was told that Florez Narvaez was in the tub.

Colombo told police he and Griffith then decided to break the body out of the large plastic tub and dismember it so it would fit into two smaller plastic tubs. They filled the two tubs with concrete and stored them in an apartment near Bonanza Drive and Las Vegas Boulevard, according to the police report.

Police learned the location of the body after the woman came to them and then they questioned Colombo, who gave them the location, the police report said.