Man charged in chain saw home invasion faces trial in deaths

By Cara McCoy

Friday, April 17, 2009 | 12:01 p.m.

A man accused of killing the 18-week-old fetus of his estranged wife and her new boyfriend will stand trial in District Court in both deaths.

William John Keck, 26, is facing charges of murder, manslaughter, attempted murder and battery — all with a deadly weapon — in the Nov. 3, 2008, incident in which police say he used a chain saw to puncture a hole in the door of the home of Angelique Keck, his estranged wife, then fired shots through the hole. The shots critically injured her, killing the fetus she was carrying, and killed her new boyfriend, 26-year-old Jonathan Lestelle, according to police reports.

William Keck was charged with manslaughter under a state law that protects unborn children who move in the mother’s womb. His lawyer argued against the manslaughter charge but after testimony from medical examiner Dr. Lary Simms, a justice of the peace judge ruled today the charges against him will stand.

Angelique Keck and family members of Lestelle sat in the gallery during the hearing.

William Keck is also facing a charge of burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon in connection with the incident.

He is scheduled to enter a plea in District Court April 28.

About 1:10 a.m. on Nov. 3, 2008, police found a man shot to death in a bedroom at the Fountains of Villa Cordova Apartments, 2800 Eastern Ave. Police reports allege William Keck carved a hole in the apartment with the chain saw, then fired through the hole with an assault rifle.

At the time of the incident, apartment complex security guard Matthew Staley investigated a noise he told police sounded like a power drill when he encountered a man dressed in black, including boots and a cap, holding an assault-type rifle at the door of an apartment, according to a police report. The man pointed his weapon at Staley, who ran for cover as he heard shots being fired. Staley then dialed 911, the report said.

As the gunman sprayed the room with bullets through the hole in the door, Angelique Keck and Lestelle left the couch where they had been sitting and ran toward a rear bedroom, the report said. Angelique Keck and Lestelle were each shot several times; Lestelle died at the scene.

Angelique Keck told police she had separated from her husband and that he had threatened to shoot her in the stomach and kill the baby, the report said.

When William Keck was arrested, he told police he was taking several medications. After he was read his Miranda rights, he told police he didn’t understand them so officers spent time explaining them, the report said. He also told police he didn’t remember being at the apartment complex at the time of the incident.

A search warrant executed in November yielded an empty box of rifle bullets in William Keck’s apartment.

Since his arrest, William Keck spent time at the Lake’s Crossing Center in Washoe County, where his mental competency was evaluated. In February, he was ruled competent to understand the criminal charges against him and capable to aid in his own defense.

He was returned to the Clark County Detention Center in February, where he has remained without bail.