Hearing set for 4 accused in Nev. official’s death
Apr 26, 2013, 5:13 PM
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) – A judge in Carson City has scheduled a July court hearing for the four people charged with killing Nevada’s chief insurance examiner and dumping his body in a river.
The three men and a woman arrested after William McCune’s body was found in the Carson River wrapped in a blanket and duct tape April 6 appeared in district court Thursday on murder charges.
The 20-year-old woman accused of driving the other three to the 62-year-old McCune’s apartment told detectives the men beat him and robbed him while she waited outside in the vehicle.
Judge John Tatro scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 9-12 for Makayla Blackmore, Michael Evans, 23, Raul Garcia, 23, and Anthony Elliott, 20. All four are from the Carson City area.
Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said a possible motive was theft driven by illegal drug use.
Prosecutors haven’t decided whether to seek the death penalty. They said in court documents the four suspects met at a Carson City motel prior to the April 2 beating and that at least one of the defendants knew McCune socially.
Authorities found McCune’s body days after co-workers at the state insurance office reported him missing and police found a bloody crime scene at his apartment.
Evans said the suspects used various objects to beat McCune and tied him up with duct tape when he struggled, according to court documents.
After dumping his body, the three men tried to use McCune’s checks and credit cards to get money and make purchases, detectives said. On April 6, they were arrested in Las Vegas and Evans was arrested in Carson City.
McCune was the head of the insurance division’s corporate and financial affairs section in charge of making sure companies have sufficient money in reserves to cover claims and obligations.
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