Tuesday, Nov. 11, 1997 | 9:10 a.m.
Police were called to the Sundowner Hotel after a maid discovered a dead man in a room on the 20th floor.
A short time later, Jimmy Lerner, 46, of Danville, Calif., called from a pay phone in the hotel, said he was a friend of the victim, and was questioned by homicide investigators.
Lerner said he and the man, whose name was not immediately released, had been staying in Reno and got into a fight.
He said he was defending himself, but after further questioning, police arrested him for investigation of open murder.
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