Couple to be arraigned in District Court in cab driver death

By Dave Toplikar

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 | 12:45 p.m.

A Henderson couple accused of killing a cab driver and disposing of his body in the desert are expected to be arraigned soon in Clark County District Court on murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges.

Christopher Ross and and his estranged wife, Georgene “Cookie” Ross, who were arrested in connection with the death of Keith Goldberg, were in Henderson Justice Court this morning.

Justice of the Peace David Gibson, however, did not hold their scheduled preliminary hearing because he was told by prosecutors that the Rosses had been indicted last week by a Clark County grand jury.

They were apparently supposed to be arraigned Wednesday morning in District Court but were taken to the Henderson court instead. Gibson set a new date for their arraignment for 9 a.m. May 30.

The Rosses, who are both in the Clark County Detention Center on $145,000 cash bail, were arrested April 9. Police said Cookie Ross and Goldberg became involved in a relationship after she became estranged from her husband.

Police said their investigation has led them to believe that Goldberg, 54, got into a fight with the Rosses at the apartment he had shared with Cookie Ross, that he was killed during the altercation, then his body disposed of in the desert near Lake Mead.

Police said cell phone records showed Christopher Ross, 52, spent almost the entire night of Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Green Valley apartment, contrary to what Ross told detectives. Officers also said Cookie Ross, 56, had been in possession of Goldberg's phone and car keys, which have never been recovered.

The police report also said phone records showed Christopher Ross spent more than six hours in the desert area surrounding Sunrise Mountain and Lake Mead Recreation area on Feb. 1, in contradiction to his statement he was moving furniture all that day.

Meanwhile, the search is continuing for Goldberg’s body. The Red Rock Search and Rescue group has had volunteers going out for several weeks to the Lake Mead area.

According to a Facebook page set up by Goldberg’s sister, Jodi Goldberg, searchers have used funds donated by family and friends to purchase a radio-controlled drone “Hexacopter” to be used in the search.

The drone has a video camera mounted to it that transmits a live video signal to a computer. The drone was to be tested at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in a desert area off East Cactus Avenue just west of Las Vegas Boulevard.