‘Dr. Phil’ spotlights Las Vegas case of dismembered dancer

By Gregan Wingert

Published Friday, May 4, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Updated Friday, May 4, 2012 | 10:09 a.m.

Luxor dancer Debora Flores Narvaez’s slaying in 2010 is still in the public spotlight as her family and the family of the ex-boyfriend accused of killing her appeared on the daytime television show “Dr. Phil,” which aired Thursday.

“I hope you rot in hell,” Celeste Flores Narvaez had shouted in a courtroom to her sister’s ex-boyfriend Jason Griffith in a video clip taken after his arrest. He was 32 at the time.

On the show, Celeste faced Griffith's mother, Charlene Davis, with whom she shook hands at the beginning of the show and later pointed a finger at.

Celeste was joined by her mother, Elsie Narvaez, and Davis brought Griffith’s sister Samantha to talk about the death of Flores Narvaez, whose dismembered body was found January 2011 encased in concrete inside plastic tubs.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office determined Flores Narvaez died of asphyxiation due to neck compression and ruled her death a homicide.

Griffith was later arrested in connection with Flores Narvaez's death.

Griffith, who is being held in the Clark County Detention Center without bail, has had his trial delayed twice in Clark County District Court. It was first scheduled for last November, then was reset to begin next week. However, at a court hearing on Monday, one of Griffith’s attorneys, Abel Yanez, said the defense team wasn’t ready and asked the judge for a short continuance.

Judge Charles Thompson reset Griffith’s jury trial to begin at 10 a.m. Aug. 13.

Charlene Davis said on the “Dr. Phil” show, hosted by Phil McGraw, there was no way her son, Griffith, was capable of committing the murder.

“She was the aggressor,” Davis said, referring to Flores Narvaez, the part-time dancer in Luxor's "Fantasy."

Davis continued: “My son would not hurt anyone unless his life was in danger.”

A videotape surfaced showing that Flores Narvaez admitted to slashing Griffith’s tires, pouring egg whites on his car and breaking into his home and laptop.

“The video is the tip of the iceberg,” Samantha Davis said.

The couple had been known to fight. There had been three incidents of domestic violence in which police had been called to the North Las Vegas residence they shared.

Celeste and Elsie Narvaez stood up for Flores Narvaez during the show and told Dr. Phil and Griffith’s family they didn't know what could have provoked the dancer to erupt.

Other details into Griffith’s life also surfaced during the show, including statements from Griffith’s anonymous wife, who is still married to him but is separated and lives with their two kids.

“Jason manipulates to make you stay,” his wife had told the “Dr. Phil” show. “He punched me in my face and knocked me out.”

Celeste and her mother sat with their eyes glossed over on the verge of tears.

“I think self-defense that he’s pleading is ridiculous,” Celeste said. “I want him to pay for what he did to my sister.”

Charlene and Samantha Davis also appeared to be frustrated and saddened.

“I don’t feel my son should spend his whole life in jail,” said Charlene Davis, who believed her son acted in self-defense.

Celeste said, while pointing a finger at Davis. “She did not take your son’s life, your son took my sister’s life.”