LAS VEGAS – Six people, including two teenagers, have been indicted in the pummeling death of a Las Vegas high school teacher who prosecutors say was attacked because he dressed nicely.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that a Clark County grand jury handed up an indictment Wednesday accusing 19-year-old Saul Favela of leading three 20-year-olds and two 16-year-olds on a violent robbery spree in northwest Las Vegas until they came upon 50-year-old Timothy VanDerbosch on Oct. 20.
Investigators said VanDerbosch tried to run after he was first attacked, but the group chased him down, beat him into unconsciousness, and left him in a street where he was struck by a passing truck. He later died at University Medical Center.
Authorities say the group was excited by random violence.
Prosecutor Joshua Tomsheck said the defendants have fully confessed to the crimes.
Tomsheck said during a court hearing that VanDerbosch was the 10th victim of random violence by the group during a 3½-hour span during the early morning hours of Oct. 20.
Tomsheck said the group also attacked a man and woman walking home from a bus stop and a taxi driver on his way to his first day on the job.
Tomsheck said the cab driver cooperated as the group robbed him, but wasn't spared from violence.
"For absolutely no reason, one of these individuals stabs him," Tomsheck said.
Authorities say two other juveniles were charged as being part of the attacks, but not for being involved in VanDerbosch's death.
VanDerbosch, a high school science teacher, was walking to work. Tomsheck said he was targeted because of what he was wearing.
"Based on how he was dressed, they decided he probably had some money," Tomsheck said.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 13.
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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
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