Former Gorman athlete arrested in Mississippi in woman’s death

By Jackie Valley

Published Thursday, March 17, 2011 | 9:19 a.m.

Updated Thursday, March 17, 2011 | 11:58 a.m.

Authorities arrested a 27-year-old man this morning in Mississippi in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend, a California woman found dead last year in a desert area in the southern valley.

Metro Police began investigating the death of Michele Carson, of West Covina, Calif., after two people who had been target shooting found her body on Nov. 7, 2010, south of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway.

Police said the death was ruled a homicide. The Clark County Coroner's Office today said a cause of death was still pending.

Police said homicide detectives identified Las Vegas resident Justin "Spiderman" Burns as the suspect in Carson's murder.

Burns, a former Bishop Gorman basketball player, played two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, according to the university's website. His father, Michael Burns, played basketball at UNLV in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Burns was arrested and taken into custody in Jackson, Miss., with the help of the Violent Crimes Safe Street Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI and the Leake County Sheriff's Office, officials said.

He has been charged with murder, according to a criminal complaint filed Feb. 4 in Clark County.

Sgt. Steve Naegele said Burns' family hid him in Mississippi after the death of Carson, whom Burns met at Cal State Fullerton.

According to an arrest report released Thursday, Carson and a friend had traveled to Las Vegas to visit Burns.

Carson's friend, Vicki Rojas, told police Burns asked her if she believed Carson was a good person. Afterward, the report alleges Carson walked into a Gold Coast hotel room and a verbal argument ensued between Carson and Burns.

Carson stayed in Las Vegas with Burns when Rojas flew back to California, according to the police report.

The night before her body was found, Carson dined with Burns at the Cheesecake Factory on Green Valley Parkway in Henderson, the arrest report indicates.

Burns' brother, Jason, and father, Michael, did not cooperate with police during the investigation, according to the police report.

In early December, a woman came forward to police, alleging that Jason Burns told her boyfriend that Burns had killed his girlfriend and burned her body in the desert, the arrest report states.

The woman's boyfriend allegedly confirmed Jason Burns' suspicions about his brother's involvement in Carson's murder, police said.

Investigators traced Burns' phone records, which revealed he was in the desert area where Carson's body was found the night she disappeared, according to the police report.

Police also discovered through phone records that Michael Burns was looking for psychiatrists to help Burns in the wake of an incident with his girlfriend, officials said in the report.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Metro's homicide section at (702) 828-3521 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.