1950 - 1969
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Case#: 69-177756
Victim: Alphonse Bass, 36
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 3787 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89115
Date: March 30, 1969
Synopsis: On March 30, 1969, at approximately 9:40 p.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies were flagged down by a motorist who reported a house fire on the corner of Lake Mead and Stevens. Deputies responded to 3787 E. Lake Mead Blvd., where they located a male victim, later identified as Alphonse Bass, who was badly burned. He was transported by ambulance to Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital, where he died the following morning from burn injuries and smoke inhalation.
A neighbor who saw the fire from her kitchen window reported seeing a green Ford Mustang leaving the area. The investigation revealed the fire had been intentionally set, with two points of origin.
Investigators identified Thomas Hanley as a suspect. Bass had been scheduled to testify against Hanley in the 1966 murder of Ralph Alsup (CCSO 144-816) and had also provided statements implicating Hanley in the murders of Marvin Shumate (CCSO 162-791) and Anna Sylvia Just (CCSO 165-695).
Also charged with conspiracy in the murder of Bass were attorney Albert Dreyer, acting on behalf of Hanley, and associate Leroy Marsh. A Las Vegas Review-Journal article dated July 16, 1969, reported that charges against Hanley, Dreyer, and Marsh had been dropped. Hanley’s wife later wrote a book claiming that Hanley’s son, Granby Hanley, drugged Bass and set the fire that killed him.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: 69-2370
Victim: Joseph L. O'Hare, 67
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 1816 Weldon Place, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Date: Shot on February 8, 1969, died February 22, 1969
Synopsis: On the morning of February 8, 1969, Joseph L. O’Hare was shot in the head in front of his home at 1816 Weldon Place as he walked outside to retrieve the newspaper. O’Hare was conscious when transported to the hospital and made vague statements indicating he had been “slugged” on the way to get the paper.
O’Hare had more than $2,000 in his pocket and was wearing several pieces of expensive jewelry at the time of the incident. In the days leading up to the shooting, a white camper with a blue stripe had been seen on the street. That same vehicle was observed speeding away from the scene shortly after the shooting. A sketch of the suspicious vehicle was included in the case file.
Interviews revealed that O’Hare had been employed as a dealer at the Hotel Fremont in Downtown Las Vegas. Acquaintances stated he also made money as a “bookie.” There was speculation that he may have been targeted by a jealous husband or boyfriend of a woman he had been seeing socially.
Joseph O’Hare succumbed to his injuries on February 22, 1969. Persons of interest were identified, but there was insufficient evidence to make an arrest.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#:165-695
Victim: Anna Sylvia Just, 28
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Desert area near Henderson Dump / Sunrise Mountain Area, Clark County, Nevada
Date: Between 1967 and 1968
Synopsis: On March 3, 1968, at approximately 4:30 p.m., hikers discovered buried clothing, a purse, a birth certificate, and blood-stained items in a desert area one mile north of the Henderson Dump and approximately 1.2 miles east along a dirt road off State Route #41 (present-day E. Lake Mead Parkway). Due to the condition of the items, authorities suspected foul play.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Department determined the items belonged to Anna Sylvia Just, also known as Sylvia Just. Records indicated Anna left her home in Calgary, Canada, in 1966 and was later reported missing after her family lost contact with her.
Following the discovery, Alphonse Bass came forward and provided information to investigators. Bass stated he had driven a vehicle occupied by Thomas Hanley, Michael Alexander Marathon, and Robert Atteberry. According to Bass, the group picked up Anna in North Las Vegas and drove to an area near Sunrise Mountain. At Hanley’s direction, Anna exited the vehicle with two of the men and walked into the desert. She never returned. Bass indicated it was his understanding Anna was killed at Hanley’s direction following a dispute over money. Bass later guided investigators to the area but was unable to locate her remains.
On or about March 31, 1969, Alphonse Bass was murdered in an arson fire (DR# 177-756) after Hanley reportedly learned Bass had spoken with police.
On September 7, 1970, human remains were discovered in a shallow grave approximately four miles west of Henderson near Powerline Road. The remains, which included a skull with a depressed fracture, were determined by the Clark County Coroner to belong to an unidentified female. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. The victim was designated as Jane #2 Doe.
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article March 5, 1968
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article March 10, 1968
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article March 13, 1968
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article March 8, 1970
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article April 25, 1978
WATCH: 8 News Now November 17, 2025
In 2010, the Clark County Coroner’s Office submitted the unidentified remains for DNA testing. A DNA profile was developed and entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
In 2024, investigators with the Calgary Police Department reopened Anna Just’s missing person case. In collaboration with the LVMPD Cold Case Homicide Section, investigators reviewed case files and identified Anna’s 95-year-old sister. A DNA reference sample was obtained and submitted to NamUs, confirming the remains discovered in 1970 were those of Anna Sylvia Just.
LVMPD and Calgary Police investigators worked with Palm Mortuary to remove the Jane Doe designation and provide Anna with a proper headstone at her final resting place.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#:163-241
Victim: Page Pickard, 24
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 164 Albert Ave., Apt. 16, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Date: Between December 12, 1967 and December 16, 1967
Synopsis: On December 16, 1967, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Page C. Pickard was found deceased inside her locked apartment located at 164 Albert Avenue, Apartment 16. The victim had suffered stab wounds.
Pickard was employed as a showgirl in the Nudes on Ice production at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino. She had not reported to work since December 12, 1967. Investigators learned the victim used several names, including Barbara Avery and Sherry Martin.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: 66-14526
Victim: Sam Ernest Lemel, 66
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 416 S. Casino Center Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: October 24-25, 1966
Synopsis: On October 24, 1966, at approximately 10:50 p.m., Las Vegas Police Department Officers Maddox and Miller observed a male lying on the west sidewalk in front of 416 S. Casino Center Boulevard.
The officers observed the male was bleeding profusely and that his pants pockets were turned inside out, indicating they had likely been searched or pulled out during a robbery.
The victim was transported to Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital for treatment. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim died at approximately 12:25 a.m. on October 25, 1966, without regaining consciousness.
An autopsy later revealed the victim had suffered a skull fracture.
The victim was identified through a California driver’s license as Sam Ernest Lemel, whose date of birth was December 25, 1899. Investigators learned Lemel lived a short distance away on 1st Street and was known to frequent the Mint Casino on Fremont Street.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: 66-144816
Victim: Ralph Howard Alsup Sr.
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 2353 E. Warm Springs Road, Las Vegas, NV
Date: January 19, 1966
Synopsis: On January 19, 1966, at approximately 11:08 p.m., the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Ralph Howard Alsup Jr. reporting that his father had been shot near his residence at 2353 E. Warm Springs Road.
Responding deputies located Ralph Howard Alsup Sr. in the front yard of the home, inside a fenced area. A weak pulse was detected, and he was transported to the hospital, where he died a short time later.
An autopsy conducted on January 20, 1966, revealed Alsup Sr. had been shot with a shotgun. The autopsy documented twenty-one entrance wounds.
During a follow-up search on January 21, 1966, investigators located a 12-gauge bolt-action, clip-fed shotgun approximately 2,633 feet north of the Boulder Canyon Branch railroad tracks and 265 feet east of Eastern Avenue.
Detectives charged Tom Hanley and Carl Black (aka Carl Schwartz) with arranging the murder. However, on March 30, 1970, Deputy District Attorney J.E. Harrington filed a motion to dismiss the charges. In his affidavit, one of the reasons cited was that two of the four witnesses had been killed.
Because the dismissal originated from the prosecution, the case against Hanley and Black could not be refiled under NRS 178.554 and 178.562. However, there is no bar to prosecuting the as-yet-unidentified shooter.
Case#: CCSO 119-397
Victim: Raymond Robert Gottbehuet, 59
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Red Rock Canyon area, approximately 14 miles northwest of the Fantastic Fair on San Francisco Street (currently 3830 W. Sahara Ave.), Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: January 19, 1963
Synopsis: On January 6, 1963, the body of Raymond Robert Gottbehuet was discovered in a remote area of Red Rock Canyon by two men hunting small game. Investigators believed the body had been in the area for more than three months.
Gottbehuet had come to Nevada from Wisconsin. During the investigation, detectives learned he was known to gamble using a system he promoted to others. He may have also been involved in mineral prospecting in Utah and Nevada.
No suspects were identified in this case.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: DR# A-439
Victim: James Calvin Elliot Taber, 71
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Fremont Hotel, 200 Fremont St., Room 311, Las Vegas, NV
Date: March 9, 1961 – March 10, 1961
Synopsis: On March 10, 1961, at approximately 8:10 a.m., a maid at the Fremont Hotel, located at 200 Fremont Street, opened the door to Room 311 and observed a male lying on the floor. The maid initially believed the male was sleeping.
At approximately 10:40 a.m., the maid returned and observed the male in the same position. Hotel security was notified.
The victim was identified as 71-year-old James Calvin Elliot Taber, who was visiting Las Vegas from Beaverton, Oregon. The investigation revealed Taber had been stabbed approximately 22 times.
READ: Las Vegas Review Journal Article March 12, 1961
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: CCSO 108-325
Victim: Robert Nesbitt Knall
AKA: Pasquale
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 0.4 miles south of Desert Inn Rd., 171 feet west of Sandhill Road., Clark County, Nevada
Date: Recovered December 4, 1960 (Body discovered February 3, 1960)
Possible Primary Crime Scene: 1131 Eastwood Dr., Apt. A, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Synopsis: On December 3, 1960, a pet dog carried a partially skeletonized human foot and lower leg to a residence near Sandhill Rd. and Tumbleweed Ave. The following day, additional remains were located in a desert area near 3400 S. Sandhill Rd., Las Vegas, NV.
The investigation revealed Knall had been released from Utah State Prison in April 1960 and was working odd jobs in Las Vegas for several attorneys, including Peter Flangas and John Stone. He was widely known by the nickname "Pasquale" and frequently visited the Moulin Rouge, Cinnabar (122 N. 2nd St., Las Vegas, NV), and the California Club (101 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV).
Blood evidence was discovered at Knall’s last known address, 1131 Eastwood Dr., Apt. A, where he had been staying with acquaintances James Grant and Linda Taylor. Taylor later identified herself as Gail Joyce Legault. The property owners, upon learning of the possible connection to the murder investigation, reported the bloodstains; however, they had already cleaned most of the interior and rented the apartment to new tenants.
Despite investigative efforts, the murder weapon was never recovered. While detectives pursued several promising leads, no suspect has been charged in this case.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: City DR#:84734
Victim: John Lambert Hays, 69
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Savoy Motel, 620 S. 5th St. (now Las Vegas Blvd.); body located near E. Charleston Blvd. and Noble Ln. (now Lamb Blvd.), Las Vegas, NV
Date: Between November 21, 1959 and December 22, 1959
Synopsis: On November 21, 1959, at approximately 11:00 p.m., John Lambert Hays was last seen at his residence at the Savoy Motel, located at 620 S. 5th Street in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On November 25, 1959, after not seeing Hays for several days, the motel manager checked his room and discovered blood inside. The City of Las Vegas Police Department was notified, and a missing person investigation was initiated.
Interviews with friends and acquaintances revealed Hays regularly walked downtown and drove his vehicle on Sunday mornings to keep the battery charged. He was described as well-liked and had no known enemies.
On December 22, 1959, at approximately 12:15 p.m., a citizen contacted the Clark County Sheriff’s Office after locating a body near East Charleston Boulevard and Noble Lane. The information was relayed to the Las Vegas Police Department, as the area had recently been annexed by the city.
The body was identified as John Lambert Hays. An autopsy revealed he had been beaten about the head and chest and stabbed twice. Evidence indicated the victim was likely sleeping or preparing to sleep when he was attacked inside his guest cabin. Several items of value were missing and are believed to have been stolen.
No suspects have been identified.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: CCSO 101-650
Victim: Violanda Margaret Leonard, 30 (Also known as: Violanda Margaret Josephine Ardito)
Suspect: Unknown
Location: 1/4 mile off Lakeshore Road, near Lake Mead
Date: June 6, 1959
Synopsis: On June 6, 1959, the nude body of a female was found approximately ¼ mile off Lakeshore Road, near Lake Mead. The victim was identified as Violanda M. Leonard. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the back of the head.
Violanda had been staying at the Union Hotel, located at Main Street and Bridger Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada. She had traveled to Las Vegas from Amarillo, Texas, via Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Three days before her body was found, Violanda contacted a Las Vegas police officer requesting a background check on a man named Herbert Buell. She stated that she planned to marry him and was concerned about his ability to support her and her children.
The day after Violanda’s body was found, a man named Herbert Buell died by suicide by stepping in front of a moving train near the Union Hotel. At the time of his death, Buell had been reported missing from San Antonio, Texas.
Several of Violanda’s associates were investigated, and others provided information regarding her movements in Las Vegas. No arrests have been made in the homicide of Violanda Leonard.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com
Case#: CCSO 100-294
Victim: Evelyn Grace Shank, 45
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Travelodge Motel 2830 S. Fifth St., Las Vegas, NV
Date: February 4, 1959 (Body discovered February 7, 1959)
Synopsis: Evelyn Shank, the night clerk at the Travelodge, was kidnapped on February 4th, 1959, between 11:00 P.M. and 11:40 P.M. Her relief worker arrived to discover the switchboard/desk area unoccupied. When he could not locate Mrs. Shank, he called the police. It was determined that approximately $174.50 had been taken. Some of the money consisted of rolled coins. An all-points bulletin was broadcast, and roadblocks were set up in Henderson, Boulder City, Las Vegas, and outlying areas in Clark County.
On February 7, 1959, the body of Evelyn Shank was discovered near Mountain Springs off SR 160 (Pahrump Valley Highway) in a flood drainage area by people riding on horseback. The victim died from a gunshot wound to the head. The murder weapon was likely a .32-20 (.32 WCF) revolver.
A 14kt yellow gold with two large white cultured pearls, size 8 ring and a Gruen, 10kt yellow gold, 17 jewel movement, with a yellow gold 'snake' band wristwatch were taken from the victim and never recovered.
READ: Evelyn Grace Shank Bulletin
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.
Case #: CCSO 120-526
Victim: James Harry Hartley, 33
Suspect: Unknown
Location: Paradise Rd. near the old Los Angeles Highway, Sloan, Nevada
Date: Body discovered on March 13, 1954
Synopsis: Clark County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the discovery of a body, buried in the desert, at the above location. The victim was later identified as James Hartley; Hartley was a business agent for the Sheet Metal Worker's Union, Local 88. An autopsy was performed and determined that the victim died from a gunshot to the head. His car was found in Los Angeles, across from the sheet metal worker's union hall, with several bullet holes in the windshield.
Several leads were pursued related to Union activity but no one was ever charged.
READ: Review Journal article March 23, 2023
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.