Man indicted on murder charge in Las Vegas bar shooting
A 24-year-old man was indicted on a murder charge Friday in what prosecutors have described as an unprovoked, execution-style shooting inside a central Las Vegas tavern.
Anthony Balderas, who authorities said left his debit card at the crime scene, is being held without bail in the June 27 slaying of Timothy Hartley.
Video surveillance obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal through a court order captured the moments around the 28-year-old victim’s death.
Authorities said Balderas was seated at the other side of the bar in the early morning hours, with a handgun in his right hand, for more than 15 minutes before he rose from his stool, wobbled momentarily and walked slowly toward Hartley.
Video shows the gunman taking 12 steps past three other men seated at the bar, aiming his 9 mm handgun with both hands and firing one shot at Hartley from behind, striking him in the neck, before walking slowly out a nearby exit at 3:18 a.m.
Hartley, who did not appear to notice the weapon, fell to the floor onto his back, writhing as workers rushed to his aid.
The men at the bar flinched as the gun fired but did not immediately leave their seats.
A bartender at PT’s told police that she recognized both Balderas and Hartley as regulars at the business, and knew them both by face and name.
Police said at the time that there was “no contact nor any sort of dispute” between the two before the shooting.
About eight minutes before the shooting, Balderas “made a gesture toward Hartley and lifted his glass as if to say ‘cheers,’” police wrote in an arrest report, but Hartley had his back turned toward Balderas.
Balderas was later arrested at his home. Police said that when Balderas was questioned, he told them he had been drinking earlier in the evening and drank a few beers at PT’s. He said he did not remember the shooting or leaving the bar.
Police wrote in the arrest report that they showed Balderas the surveillance video, and he responded: “Case closed.”
An attorney for Balderas could not immediately be reached Friday.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.
