Six enter pleas in fatal attack on teacher
Six young adults and teenagers charged with murder and robbery in the October death of Eldorado High School teacher Timothy VanDerbosch pleaded not guilty Monday in District Court.
Clark County prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty against two of the defendants, Saul Favela, 19, and David Rosas, 20.
Marcos Coronel Castrejon, 20, Bridget Lugo, 20, Marisol Diaz, 16, and Daniel Carrillo, 16, also are charged in the case.
The defendants each face 24 felony counts, including seven more than they were originally charged with by Las Vegas police.
The charges are one count of murder, 10 counts of armed robbery, five counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, six counts of battery and two counts of burglary while in possession of a firearm.
VanDerbosch, who was walking to work, was attacked around 5 a.m. on Oct. 20 at the end of what authorities have called a thrill-seeking robbery spree.
Before VanDerbosch, 50, could escape, authorities said, he was chased down and pummeled by the pack. They left him unconscious in the street. Soon after, VanDerbosch was struck by a passing truck, near Washington Avenue and Betty Lane. He later died at University Medical Center.
The defendants were driving away and saw that VanDerbosch had been struck, Las Vegas police said.
The defendants thought the teacher had money based on how he was dressed, prosecutors said. Favela, the self-described leader of the group, was the first to strike VanDerbosch.
Authorities said the defendants began their spree about 1:30 a.m. by driving around the northeast valley seeking people to rob.
Investigators have described the group as a “party crew” motivated by the thrill of random violence against anyone they happened to meet.
There were nine victims before VanDerbosch: a man on his way to his first day at a cab company, a man and a woman walking home from a bus stop, a couple taking in the view of Las Vegas and a group of four people.
The cabdriver cooperated, giving up everything he had of value, but was still stabbed, police said.
Two other victims were pistol-whipped and suffered substantial injuries.
Prosecutors have said the defendants have made full confessions.
If convicted, Favela and Rosas could face the death penalty. The remaining four defendants could face 20 years to life in prison without parole.
All six are being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center, according to jail records.
A status check in the case was scheduled for Jan. 5.
Two juveniles whose names have not been released also were arrested and charged with robbery and other crimes in connection with the attacks, but they were not involved in VanDerbosch’s death.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@
reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.
