Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Hearing begins for Nellis airman charged in wife’s slaying

Updated Wednesday, March 26, 2014 | 3:39 p.m.

A Clark County judge says she'll hear more evidence next week before deciding whether a 33-year-old Nellis Air Force Base technical sergeant will stand trial on a murder charge in the slaying of his wife.

Rickey Lee Massey Jr. remained in custody after the start of his preliminary hearing Wednesday in North Las Vegas Justice Court.

The hearing was scheduled to continue April 2.

Massey is accused of killing 34-year-old Theresa Rivera during a family argument late Jan. 16.

The Clark County coroner determined Rivera was asphyxiated.

Police say Massey told them he and his wife were getting a divorce after being married less than a year.

Massey's public defender, Rafael Nones, says his client plans to plead not guilty.

Massey is an equipment maintenance supervisor at Nellis. A base spokeswoman said Massey deployed four times during his 13-year Air Force career.

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