Archive for October, 2007
 
Embattled Wedding Chapel Leaves Las Vegas For Henderson
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Two days after losing their license in Las Vegas, a local wedding chapel is trying to reopen in Henderson. The owners of the Garden of Love chapel applied for a business license in Henderson, opened doors there, but hours later shut down again.

Right now, the city of Henderson has a hold on the business license application, for the owners of the Las Vegas Garden of Love wedding chapel.

That means they cannot conduct business. The city of Henderson says it will review the decision by the Las Vegas City Council and then make a decision.

Craig and Cheryl Luell have listed their home in Henderson as their place of business, under the same name, Las Vegas Garden of Love. The business will specialize in personal services like planning and setting up weddings, photos, videos, flowers, and even limo service. But no wedding ceremonies.

Tuesday, on the City of Henderson's web site, the license was listed as active. Wednesday, it changed to inactive. One local wedding chapel owner who testified against the Luells says he is not surprised they are looking at other locations to stay in business.

Cliff Evarts, a local wedding chapel owner said, “It means the battle is not over. These people, even though the city took away their business license, they are not going away. They have made such a lucrative situation for themselves, they do whatever it takes to continue that cash flow.”

Eyewitness News talked to Cheryl Luell, the owner of a Garden of Love by phone Wednesday. She said they are seeking a business license at their home, in order to help the couples they had committed to marrying before their appeal was denied.

The Henderson city attorney says she will look into what kind of business the Luells were conducting in Las Vegas before a decision is made.

Email your comments to Reporter Chris Saldana.

 
Son of CBS Soap Star Drowns in Pool at Henderson Home
Friday, October 19th, 2007

The 19-year-old son of a CBS soap opera star drowned in a pool in his Henderson home Thursday night.

Michael Tylo, Jr. is the son of “The Bold and The Beautiful” star Hunter Tylo, who has played the character of Taylor on and off since 1992, and her ex-husband, fellow soap star Michael Tylo, formerly of “The Young and the Restless” and “Guiding Light.”

The Clark County coroner told Eyewitness News that initial reports say it was an accident. Tylo had a seizure from a pre-existing seizure disorder and fell in the pool where he drowned.


 
Fugitive Chester Stiles Apprehended in Henderson
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007

The nationwide search for a fugitive accused of raping a 2-year-old girl and videotaping the assault ended Monday night when Chester Arthur Stiles was arrested in Henderson during a routine traffic stop.

Billboards that asked for the public's help to find Stiles now show he has been captured. Stiles is being held in isolation at the Clark County Detention Center.

Chester Stiles Case Time Line

Stiles is facing numerous charges related to the alleged sexual assault of the child and videotaping the incident.

Stiles is facing a total of 24 counts listed as follows:

      • 11 counts of Sexual Assault with a victim under 14 years old
      • 1 count of Attempted Sexual Assault with a victim under 14 years old
      • 10 counts of Lewdness with a child under 14 years old
      • 1 count of Use of a Minor in Pornography
      • 1 federal count of Production of Child Pornography

Henderson Police Department officers Mike Dye and Mike Gower were the officers who helped arrest Chester Stiles. Monday night both officers spoke about the arrest of one of America's top Ten Most Wanted fugitives.

Officer Mike Gower said, “I feel pleased. I think we got a bad individual off the road and it feels good.”

Officer Mike Dye said, ”You know, people who are suspected of doing this stuff are going to eventually get caught. It's just a matter of time and that's our jobs as police officers all around the country to do that.”

Officer Dye had pulled over the vehicle Stiles was driving in the area of Green Valley Parkway and Sunset Road because it did not have license plates. He called for back up and then Officer Gower arrived.

Stiles was arrested after telling the officers who he was and said he was tired of running.

According to The Associated Press, the mother of the girl raped in the explicit homemade videotape is so angry that she would kill her daughter's assailant if she could, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Henderson police stopped Stiles at Green Valley Parkway and Sunset at 7 p.m. 

Initially, Stiles handed officer Mike Dye a California driver's license. The picture on the license looked nothing like the driver of the car and the car had no license plates. When the officers questioned Stiles about the driver's license, he admitted who he was and said he was tired of running.

“He said, 'I'm Chester Stiles, the guy you're looking for,'” said Officer Dye.

Henderson Police contacted Metro, who is investigating the sexual assault and custody of Stiles was transferred to Metro.

Stiles has been wanted since Oct. 5 on warrants issued for 21 felony charges in connection with the acts seen on the videotape. The charges include lewdness with a minor, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.

The graphic and disturbing videotape of a girl being sexually abused launched a nationwide manhunt for Chester Stiles. The tape was found in Pahrump by Darrin Tuck who is facing pornography charges because he held onto the tape for five months before turning it over to police.

On Sept. 21, the Nye County Sheriff released information that they were trying to identify a small girl seen on a video being sexually assaulted. One week later, the girl, now 7-years-old, was found safe in Las Vegas and the suspect on tape was identified as Chester Stiles.

SLIDESHOW: Compare Suspect on Video With Stiles

Metro's Criminal Apprehension Team made the search for Chester Stiles their top priority and the FBI was considering putting Stiles on their FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Stiles was already wanted on state and federal warrants in a case alleging he groped a 6-year-old girl in 2003. Police had received hundreds of tips on Stiles, who they believed might be dangerous and possibly armed based on earlier arrests.

Attorney Jerry Donohue who represents the the young victim of the sexual assault shown on the videotape shared his feelings in a recent interview.

“I hope he digs a hole in the ground and puts a gun in his mouth.”

Donohue revealed at the time of the sexual assault in 2003 the girl was not even three years old. Donohue also answered the question, which has flooded Channel 8 e-mail, how could Stiles have access to the girl long enough to videotape a sexual assault?

Attorney Jerry Donohue stated, “The daughter was left in the care of a babysitter to the best of the mother's knowledge. It occurred sometime during that time while the mother was at work.”

In 2003, the victim and her mother lived with Tina Allen and her two children. Allen was dating Stiles at that time.

On Tuesday, Eyewitness News spoke with two former girlfriends of Chester Stiles. Both Elaine Thomas and Tina Allen say they've been anxiously awaiting his arrest for the last month.


 
Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson Visits Las Vegas, Henderson
Friday, October 12th, 2007

New Mexico governor and presidential candidate Bill Richardson visits Las Vegas and Henderson Saturday, Oct. 13. His schedule is as follows:

When: 9:00 AM
What: Kick-off of Red Rock Democratic Club and Richardson for President Joint Canvass
Where: 8820 West Charleston, Suite 105, Las Vegas, NV

When: 9:30 AM
What: Pre-Parade Rally with Richardson supporters
Where: Gass Avenue and 4th Street, Las Vegas, NV

When: 10:00 AM
What: Hispanic Day Parade
Where: Gass Avenue and 4th Street, Las Vegas, NV

When: 12:00 PM
What: Meeting with Plasterers' and Cement Masons' Local 797 at union picnic
Where: Paradise Park, McLeod and Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV

When: 2:30 PM
What: Drop-by at the LGBT Mock Caucus and Issues Forum
Where: The Center, 953 East Sahara, Las Vegas, NV

When: 5:30 PM
What: Meeting with Culinary Union members
Where: 1135 Terminal Way, Suite 100, Reno, NV

When: 7:30 PM
What: Richardson for President House Party
Where: 11880 Ocean View Drive, Sparks, NV


 
Alzheimer’s Patients Scammed at Henderson Care Facility, Couple Arrested
Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

Henderson police have arrested a couple whose job it was to care for the elderly. But police say instead of taking care of them, they took advantage of them. Police call this a case of elderly abuse and not just the physical kind.

It's at a place called the TLC Loving Care facility in Henderson. The home is a facility for the care of Alzheimer's patients. Police say Cynthia and Alberto Ramos did more than take care of patients. Detectives say the couple took advantage of them.

A police report says the couple took $2,500 in cash from the bank account of a 79-year-old patient at the facility. It also shows the couple used the same patient's bank card to get their nails done, buy items from Home Depot, Wal-Mart, even gas for their cars from Jun. 8 to Jun. 14.

The victim was only at the facility for six days, but it cost her $3,700.

While the patient lived in the TLC Loving Care facility, police say the couple also tried to buy a home theater system from Wal-Mart. A clerk noticed the picture of a white elderly woman on the card and denied it.

Henderson Police spokesman Todd Rasmussen said, “It is alarming that someone in their care [that] they actually took their credit cards and used them. We are glad to mark this arrest.”

Cynthia and Alberto Ramos face about 30 counts each from exploitation of the elderly to fraud with a credit card.

Eyewitness News talked with Cynthia Ramos on the phone, but she refused to comment. The police report says police officers found the victim's credit card in her wallet.

It was the victim's daughter in Kentucky who notified police of the crime. In addition to the money, she says her 79-year-old mother is missing an emerald and diamond ring.

Detectives believe there may be more victims.

Anyone who has had a loved one stay at the TLC Loving Care facility for Alzheimer's patients over the past two years is asked to contact Henderson police.

Also, there is another care facility in Henderson with a similar name. It's the TLC Care Center. It has no connection with the TLC Loving Care facility in this story.

E-mail your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence.