Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998 | 2:13 a.m.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have issued an arrest warrant charging Greg Takung Chao, 31, in the death of Donald Idiens.
Idiens, from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, had been gambling at The Mirage Hotel Dec. 8 when he received a telephone call and, showing concern, suddenly left the poker table.
His body was found the next day on a 17th floor stairwell at the Imperial Palace Hotel. He died from a blow to the head, police said.
An alert employee at the Imperial Palace noticed abnormalities in Chao's room, which was near where the body was found, police said. Processing of the room indicated Idiens was killed there, according to police.
Police believe the killing was robbery or debt related.
Chao is from Burnaby, British Columbia, and is in custody in Canada after having his probation for an April 1997 extortion conviction revoked.
Police say Chao's conviction stemmed from his threatening a previous employer's young daughters with harm if a sum of money wasn't paid. Chao had outstanding gambling debts when he made the extortion demands.
As a condition of his probation, Chao was not to leave the province of British Columbia nor enter gambling establishments.
Idiens was a contractor in the Vancouver area.
Phil Barber, a longtime friend of Idiens, said Idiens met Chao while playing poker at The Mirage and loaned him $1,000. Barber said Idiens left $800 in chips behind when he left the game at The Mirage. He said he also carried several thousand dollars in cash, which has not been found.
Police would not comment on any relationship between Chao and Idiens.
The arrest warrant was issued after two detectives went to Canada to interview Chao.
archive
