Mother, daughter plead not guilty in slaying of elderly coin collector

By Jackie Valley

Friday, July 6, 2012 | 1:57 p.m.

A mother and daughter accused of killing their elderly neighbor and then stealing her coin collection in April pleaded not guilty Friday morning in Clark County District Court.

Lourie Rodriguez, 46, and her daughter, Amber Hall, 26, waived their right to a speedy trial in the death of 73-year-old Jean Greenburg. Judge Linda Bell scheduled their jury trial for Jan. 7, 2013.

A grand jury last month indicted Rodriguez and Hall on charges of conspiracy murder, murder with a deadly weapon on a victim over 60, conspiracy robbery, robbery with a deadly weapon of an older person, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, burglary and possession of a stolen credit card.

During the arraignment, Rodriguez and Hall — both shackled at their hands and feet — sat several chairs apart from each other. Hall tearfully answered the judge’s questions and mentioned needing medical help. Her attorney, public defender Kristine Kuzemka, told Bell that Hall needed an asthma inhaler in the Clark County Detention Center.

The pair’s arraignment had been delayed last month, in part because defense attorneys said they needed more time to explain the indictment to Rodriguez and Hall, who have difficulty understanding the process.

Rodriguez, represented by special public defender David Schieck, was deemed competent to stand trial in June, according to court records.

Rodriguez and Hall have been held in jail without bond since their arrest by Metro Police on April 29.

Police said Greenburg was found beaten and stabbed to death April 27 inside her home at Pinewood Apartments, 3601 Cambridge St., which is near Desert Inn Road and South Maryland Parkway.

Greenburg, who was found sitting in her recliner chair, died from multiple stab wounds and blunt-force injuries to her head, according to an autopsy conducted by the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Police said Greenburg lived alone and possessed a considerable number of valuable U.S. coins, many of which had been stolen about a month before her death.

Police said Rodriguez told them she was friends with Greenburg and visited her almost daily. Rodriguez told police that she last saw Greenburg the evening before her death when Rodriguez and Hall stopped by Greenburg’s apartment.

Rodriguez told police Greenburg was talking to someone on the phone, so Rodriguez and Hall left and walked to a nearby store, police said.

Detectives said they noticed activity on Greenburg’s bank account the night after she was found dead. Authorities said they used ATM surveillance video to track Rodriguez and Hall.

A search of the two women’s apartment turned up $2,530, which Hall reportedly told police came from pawning Greenburg’s coins.

In a confession to police, Rodriguez and Hall said they plotted Greenburg’s slaying so they could steal her coin collection, according to their arrest reports. Hall told detectives she, her 3-month-old son and her mother visited Greenburg with the intent to kill her, and they hid a knife and piece of wood in the baby stroller.