Man accused in Tropicana parking lot death pleads not guilty

By Cara McCoy

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 | 11:14 a.m.

An 18-year-old man charged in the May stabbing death of another man in the parking lot of a Las Vegas Strip hotel pleaded not guilty this morning to a charge of murder with a deadly weapon.

Tanner Rousseau, of Arlington, Wash., was arrested May 6 after Metro Police officers responded to a report of a stabbing in the parking lot of the Tropicana. Rousseau has been free on bail and waived his right to a speedy trial Wednesday morning.

A jury trial was set for 9 a.m. Oct. 26 in Clark County District Court.

At about 4:12 a.m. on May 8, officers found Gregory Dominique, 35, of Cleveland, lying in the Tropicana's north parking lot with several stab wounds, police said. Dominique was taken to University Medical Center's trauma center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

According to police reports, Rousseau and a friend, Brandon Carmack, came into contact with Dominique outside the Tropicana to purchase drugs. Carmack learned after the transaction he had been left with an empty envelope, and a fight ensued. Rousseau assisted his friend by kicking Dominique in the genitals.

The teens thought the fight had ended when Dominique reignited it by hitting Rousseau in the head. Rousseau then stabbed Dominique several times before leaving the scene, police reports said.

About half an hour later, Rousseau turned himself in to an officer driving around the Tropicana looking for suspects, according to the police report.