Las Vegas Sun - History

March 28, 2024

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Six die in Southern Nevada incidents during weekend

Six people were found dead in Southern Nevada over the weekend, two from exposure, one in a bizarre suicide, one in a car accident, one in a drowning and one from an undetermined cause.

An elderly Henderson couple who police said took a wrong road and got stuck in sand died six miles west of Whisky Pete's hotel-casino, near the California-Nevada state line.

The two were reported missing by a family member June 13. Henderson Police believe the two became lost and ended up on a little-used road late last week, later dying from exposure. They were returning from Laughlin.

The woman, Dolores Anne Myers, 65, was found about 2 p.m. Sunday on Stateline Pass Road. Her husband, Milton Brawnson Myers, 67, was found later a few miles from their 1986 Nissan pickup, an indication he may have neem going for help, police said.

Sgt. Glen Erwin, a security officer for Whiskey Pete's, said the road can be accessed only through the rear of the casino's parking lot.

"That road is four-wheel drive country and is not something you would drive a Cadillac down," Erwin said.

Police found no signs of foul play and said they believe the man and his wife died of exposure. They called it a classic example of people not being prepared as they travel through the Nevada deserts.

In another weekend incident, a terminally ill man threw himself in front of a bus on Interstate 15 at the state line after riting a suicide note to his wife, authorities said.

At 7 a.m. Saturday, Dean Kluthe, 41, of Las Vegas left a note for his wife at the front desk of Buffalo Bill's hotel-casino.

Kluthe walked onto south-bound I-15 and stepped into the path of a Greyhound bus, said Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Harney. Kluthe was killed instantly.

Traffic on southbound I-15 was slowed considerably for two hours, Harney said.

Kluthe's death has been ruled a suicide, he said.

An Arizona Charlie's hotel-casino bartender was found dead in his car Sunday afternoon in North Las Vegas, police said.

Patrick Frank Kerns, 39, was found by a oasser-by at 1:15 p.m. in his parked car at Tropical Island Circle and Tenaya Way. There were no signs of trauma, North Las Vegas police said.

The cause of death is pending the outcome of an autopsy, according to the Clark County coroner's office.

A Pahrump woman died about 2:30 p.m. Sunday when the 1995 Geo she was driving drifted off State Route 160 and flipped over, Harney said.

The driver, Nelda Gainer, 70, was pronounced dead at the scene, about halfway between Pahrump and Las Vegas. Her husband, Elmo Gainer, 73, was injured. He was taken to University Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

A man visiting from Jordan, Utah, drowned Sunday at Lake Mead after attempting to help his son who was having difficulty swimming.

Dave Hoover, acting chief ranger, said Rodney Steven Barrett, 42, was assisting his son as the two swam from a raft to shore at Cottonwood Cove. An elder son and other swimmers cam to their aid, but after getting Barrett's son safely to shore, they discovered the father missing.

Sun reporter Cathy Scott contributed to this story.

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