Man accused of gunning down home intruder pleads not guilty

The Las Vegas homeowner indicted on charges he gunned down an intruder at his home after pursuing him 500 feet down a street pleaded not guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Thomas Gaule, 35, was scheduled to stand trial Sept. 20. Gaule immediately challenged the proceedings, claiming that he was charged under a false name because his name was printed on court documents in capital letters.

District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski rejected the challenge.

Today was Gaule's third court appearance on his indictment on a voluntary manslaughter charge. The Clark County public defender's office, which represented him at the first hearing, is no longer on the case, and private attorney Pete Christiansen Jr. has agreed to take the court appointment to represent him.

At the second hearing last week, Gaule was arrested by Las Vegas Municipal Court marshals on unrelated misdemeanor charges and led out of the courthouse in handcuffs.

Five warrants had been issued for his arrest on charges of failing to remove refuse from his yard, because he had missed appearances in the court. Bail was set at $12,000.

Christiansen arranged for Gaule to be released on his own recognizance pending resolution of those minor cases.

Gaule already was free on his own recognizance on the manslaughter charge.

Two men were shot and killed at Gaule's home on Oct. 25. Gaule told police at the time that he arrived home that morning to find Jason Lamb, 26, and Rick Tripp in the home at 400 Lakehurst Road near Alta and Buffalo drives.

Gaule told police he was beaten and disabled with an electronic stun gun but broke away from his attackers, grabbed a gun from his house and opened fire, hitting both men.

Lamb's body was found on the driveway of the home. Tripp died of multiple shotgun wounds at the corner of Lakehurst and Pinedale Avenue about 100 feet from Helen Marie Smith Elementary School and 500 feet from Gaule's home, police said.

Gaule is facing charges in the shooting of Tripp. A Clark County grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing in Lamb's death, because it occurred at the home where the break-in occurred.

The voluntary manslaughter indictment was handed up Dec. 11 after the grand jury heard two days of testimony to determine whether the shootings were justified or illegal retaliation.

Tripp, a six-time convicted felon according to police, is said to have been owed money by Gaule for cleanup work done around the home.

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