Matt Pordum

Story Archive

Henderson men gets 40 years in bludgeoning death of wife: Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005; A 59-year-old man convicted of fatally stabbing and bludgeoning his wife at their Henderson home was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison Wednesday.
Teen accused of killing baby cousin is ruled incompetent: Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005; Doctors have determined that a 17-year-old girl accused of beating her 6-week-old cousin to death while babysitting is incompetent to stand trial and is expected to soon be sent to Lake's Crossing, the state's mental facility in Sparks.
Man to be tried in death of one of two slain women: Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005; A man accused of raping and strangling two women on May 4 will stand trial for only one of the killings, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo ruled Tuesday.
Iranian man arrested in grenade incident on bus faces deportation: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005; The 23-year-old Iranian man who allegedly claimed to be Osama Bin Laden's cousin before displaying an inert grenade on a bus may be caught in a catch-22 situation between local and federal authorities.
Man in car chase sentenced to prison term: Monday, Aug. 15, 2005; Kentro Taylor was sentenced to 14 to 40 years in prison Friday for his part in a high-speed chase through North Las Vegas during which his girlfriend fired an assault rifle at police officers.
Ex-Iraq soldier's case may be tossed: Monday, Aug. 15, 2005; A 20-year-old former U.S. Army specialist who served in Iraq may have his murder and attempted murder charges dismissed if he can be placed in an inpatient mental treatment facility.
Two plead guilty in robberies, murder: Friday, Aug. 12, 2005; Two men accused of robbing two McDonald's restaurants and killing a tourist who attempted to stop them from fleeing pleaded guilty Thursday to avoid a potential death sentence.
Disparities in child death cases raise questions: Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005; Why does failing to give an 11-year-old diabetic insulin shots result in a charge of first-degree murder by child abuse, but starving to death a 2-year-old child with cerebral palsy does not?
Missing victim, witnesses result in release: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005; A missing victim and missing witnesses in an attempted murder case are resulting in the early release of a man who had been convicted in the notorious 1986 "Show and Tell" murder.
Trial of two men in slaying outside topless club on hold: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005; The fate of two men charged in a fatal shooting outside the Sapphire topless club was put on hold Tuesday so a ballistics report on the alleged murder weapon could be completed.
Man gets probation in beating: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005; A judge on Tuesday told a 21-year-old man that punching and kicking a man he found sleeping in his car wasn't an example of "how you take care of things" as she sentenced him to five years' probation.
Jury foreman: 911 tape led to murder conviction: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005; A jury foreman said the 911 tape made by the murder victim in the minutes prior to being shot and not a damaging jailhouse journal detailing Jim Holden's life as an alleged hit-man is what led to his conviction Tuesday.
Judge gives man convicted of killing wife 10 years to life: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005; A judge called a man who claimed he accidentally shot his wife in the head while he was cleaning his gun "a drunk and abusive guy all his life" and then sentenced him Tuesday to 10 years to life in prison.
Mother of 23-year-old man killed by Kane calls on lawmakers: Monday, Aug. 8, 2005; The mother of the man killed by Michael Kane stood on the courthouse steps Friday and asked Gov. Kenny Guinn and the Legislature to "call a special session and show you care about your citizens."
Judge to decide whether killer can go free; doctors say he's no longer insane: Friday, Aug. 5, 2005; A Clark County district judge began hearing testimony this morning to determine whether a killer is still mentally ill -- less than a year after he was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity -- or is no longer insane and must be set free.
Murphy won't be reimbursed for copies of re-trial evidence: Friday, Aug. 5, 2005; The citizens of Clark County will not reimburse Sandy Murphy for the $27,000 she spent making copies of the evidence presented during her re-trial for the murder of Ted Binion.
Former Death Row inmate given 20- to 50-year sentence: Friday, Aug. 5, 2005; A 34-year-old man originally sentenced to death for committing a double murder in January 1997 will now serve 20 to 50 years in prison.
Plea agreement reached in case involving a minor: Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005; A 62-year-old former church-camp worker pleaded guilty Wednesday to a sexual assault charge for videotaping himself assaulting his then 11-year-old relative in 1998.
Not guilty plea is entered in death of boy, 3: Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005; A 23-year-old man accused of murdering his live-in girlfriend's 3-year-old son, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.
Man in murder trial wrote he was 'born to do this': Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005; A prosecutor said a jailhouse journal and a 911 call would make it clear to jurors that a 24-year-old man was acting as a hired enforcer when he killed a 19-year-old and wounded another man at "drug flop house."
Terminally ill man's relatives 'railroaded' by woman's sentence: Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005; The relatives of a terminally ill man who was killed by his girlfriend of 19 years in April 2004 said they felt "railroaded" by the system after the woman was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison Tuesday.
Henderson mom pleads guilty in child's death: Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005; A 23-year-old Henderson mother pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder for the death of her 18-month-old daughter and multiple counts of child abuse and neglect in connection to her four other children.
Man guilty of second-degree murder: Monday, Aug. 1, 2005; A jury on Friday determined Larry Pruett was guilty of second-degree murder for shooting his roommate and hiding the body in a freezer outside his home in July 2004.
Man, Cirque du Soleil settle in last minute: Monday, Aug. 1, 2005; If Cirque du Soleil and the man who was seriously injured when one of the company's show props fell on him had not reached a settlement Friday, jurors apparently would have awarded the man about $40 million.
Jury turns in not guilty verdict for Mayweather: Monday, Aug. 1, 2005; WBC super lightweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. received a unanimous decision in the legal ring on Friday as a jury found him not guilty of beating the mother of his three children outside a nightclub in 2003.
Woman tells different story on stand than one told to cops: Friday, July 29, 2005; Did the mother of three of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s children lie to police about being kicked and beaten by the WBC lightweight champion outside a nightclub, or was she lying in court Thursday?
Abused woman, 87, was 'barely' kept alive: Thursday, July 28, 2005; If not for a Henderson Police officer's decision to investigate a suspicious van on the side of the road in January, no one might ever have known what happened to 87-year-old Carol Dalton.
Lack of black jurors halts boxer's trial: Thursday, July 28, 2005; The bell didn't ring to start WBC lightweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s trial on Wednesday.
Wife killer gets life in prison without parole: Thursday, July 28, 2005; A prosecutor said Wednesday that finally after roughly three years and five months of waiting, justice has been served to David Ruffa in the killing of his estranged wife.
Witness describes body in freezer: Thursday, July 28, 2005; A female drinking buddy of Lawrence Pruett said it wasn't until after the pair saw a freezer in his yard that Pruett told her his roommate had not left Las Vegas, but instead was dead and on ice.
Kill order allegedly in letter: Wednesday, July 27, 2005; In an apparent suicide note, the former treasurer of the Clark County Republican Party accused of killing his ex-wife and her father tells his friend and alleged accomplice to "take out Mom and Grandpa."
Burying of body led jurors to conviction: Wednesday, July 27, 2005; Jurors said they might have bought a man's claim that he was acting in self-defense when he killed his roommate if it wasn't for the fact he then buried the body in concrete under the stairs of their apartment.
Two former girlfriends say killer was violent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005; Two former girlfriends of a man convicted of kidnapping, killing and trying to burn the body of his wife said Tuesday he tried to kidnap and kill both of them after they broke up with him.
Schmidts take plea agreement: Tuesday, July 26, 2005; A mother's decision to gamble instead of being at home with her two daughters could lead to eight to 20 years in prison.
Jury to decide if LV man killed in self-defense: Tuesday, July 26, 2005; A jury will decide this week whether a 62-year-old man acted in self-defense or is simply a cold-blooded killer who shot his roommate and hid the body in a freezer outside his home in July 2004.
Self-defense claimed in case of body found in apartment: Monday, July 25, 2005; The defense pursued its self-defense case this morning in the trial of Greg Stiegler, accused of killing his roommate and burying the body in concrete under the stairs of their apartment.
Hells Angels get stay from court: Friday, July 22, 2005; An emergency stay granted by the Nevada Supreme Court, not an expected plea agreement, has put a hold on Monday's trial of the Hells Angels members accused in the fatal Laughlin River Run riot.
Ex-DMV employee who sold fake ID gets probation: Friday, July 22, 2005; A Department of Motor Vehicles employee caught on tape selling a fake state identification card was sentenced to probation Thursday and will have to disclose her conviction to future employers.
Man convicted of killing wife despite evidence: Friday, July 22, 2005; David Ruffa's reluctant entrance with his sister into court Thursday afternoon will be his last act of freedom for at least 10 years.
Molestation, stabbing cases combined: Friday, July 22, 2005; Two cases were combined Thursday for a man accused of molesting his wife's 8-year-old daughter and later stabbing the girl's natural father in hopes of preventing him from attending a custody hearing.
Witness says suspect told him that he was defending himself: Thursday, July 21, 2005; A man charged with killing his roommate and burying him under the floor of their apartment has said little in his defense. However, the man who turned him in to the FBI testified Wednesday that it was a case of self-defense.
Young to defend self in retrial for slayings of four young men: Thursday, July 21, 2005; A 25-year-old man with an 11th grade education said, "I don't want no attorney," prior to a judge ruling Wednesday he can defend himself at his retrial in the execution-style slaying of four young men in August 1998.
Man to stand trial in death of girlfriend's son, 3: Thursday, July 21, 2005; A jury will determine whether a 3-year-old boy was murdered by his mother's live-in boyfriend or instead sustained the fatal injuries after accidentally falling off a bunk bed and crashing into a bed post while pretending to be Spiderman.
Murder trial under way for roommate of man found buried in apartment floor: Thursday, July 21, 2005; Relatives of 52-year-old Robert Wilson testified Tuesday that during the months that they were worried about why they couldn't reach him, his former roommate, Gregory Stiegler, gave them varying stories about Wilson's disappearance.
Murder trial under way for roommate of man found buried in apartment floor: Wednesday, July 20, 2005; Relatives of 52-year-old Robert Wilson testified Tuesday that during the months that they were worried about why they couldn't reach him, his former roommate, Gregory Stiegler, gave them varying stories about Wilson's disappearance.
Guilty plea entered in student's death: Wednesday, July 20, 2005; A 22-year-old Las Vegas man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday for the the killing of a UNLV student in her apartment in June 2003.
Man gets 6 to 15 years for killing co-burglar: Wednesday, July 20, 2005; One of two men facing charges in the killing of a third burglar while the three searched the home for a woman who owed them money was sentenced Tuesday to six to 15 years in prison and a year in jail.
Woman IDs man charged in slayings: Tuesday, July 19, 2005; A woman whose female neighbors were sexually assaulted and strangled testified Monday that the man accused of the crimes tried to kiss her in her apartment during the morning of the killings.
Alleged 311 Boyz gang member sentenced for parole violation: Tuesday, July 19, 2005; An alleged member of the 311 Boyz gang this morning was sentenced to 10 months in jail for violating the terms of his probation.
Judge to look at whether killer is competent: Tuesday, July 19, 2005; Is a 21-year-old man convicted of killing his pregnant sister and their grandparents faking a mental illness to avoid sentencing or is he indeed seriously ill?