Bounty hunter convicted of first-degree murder in shooting

Las Vegas bounty hunter Dennis Kieren lost a high-stakes bet for his freedom Wednesday when a District Court jury convicted him of first-degree murder in the March 1996 shooting death of David Allen Broyles, 26.

Kiernan, who argued the shooting was in self defense, had rejected a plea bargain that would have required him to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and face a maximum sentence of 4 to 10 years in prison. He also would have had a chance for probation, according to the district attorney's office.

Now the lightest sentence the 32-year-old defendant can receive for the conviction of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon is a life prison term with parole possible only after he has served 40 years.

The harshest sentence he could receive is life in prison with no chance for parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.

Deputy District Attorney L.J. O'Neale said that Kieren arrogantly believed he could gun down his roommate, then manipulate the system to avoid accountability.

But authorities didn't buy his tale that the slaying of Broyles was self defense or justifiable, even though Broyles had bitten off a chunk of Kieren's ear moments before the shooting and the victim's .45-caliber pistol was found lying next to where he had fallen.

Two of Broyles' friends, who witnessed the slaying, testified that although Broyles had chewed off part of Kieren's ear during a fight, he was trying to leave the house when the defendant caught up to him in the home's garage and fired a series of shots with a 9mm pistol.

Mike Woods told the jury that Kieren paused for a moment and then fired several more shots into the man's back as he lay on the floor. In all, Broyles was hit seven times and died at the home near Nellis Air Force Base.

Kieren testified that Broyles was coming at him and the fatal shots were fired in self defense. He denied pausing between volleys.

But O'Neale reminded the jury during closing arguments Wednesday that a medical examiner concluded the three shots into Broyles' back had a downward angle and they were either fired after the victim had fallen or the shooter was on a 20-foot ladder.

"His interest was in vengence and, by God, he carried it out," the prosecutor said.

Deputy Special Public Defender Peter LaPorta had tried to portray Kieren as the victim of Broyles' brutality first and then as a victim of lies from Woods and Broyles' girlfirend, Kristi Telles.

Both witnesses denied seeing the victim's unloaded .45-caliber pistol and nine rounds of live ammunition on the garage floor, although the holstered weapon is clearly visible in photos taken by police criminalists.

LaPorta said the witnesses "manufactured" their testimony to facilitate a conviction of Kieren when the case was "justifiable homicide."

O'Neale said the witnesses simply told a story of "revenge" that was supported by the evidence.

archive