Las Vegas bus security guard accused in North Las Vegas murder of elderly passenger
NORTH LAS VEGAS Jan 19 2019 North Las Vegas police arrested a bus security guard in the December death of an elderly passenger.
According to police records, Anthony Louis Villanueva, 42, was arrested last week in the death of 82-year-old Charles Adams.
On Nov. 14, 2018 about 3:45 a.m., police said a security guard contracted by Regional Transportation Commission asked Adams to move his walker from a bus aisle.
Villanueva and Adams exchanged insults when the bus stopped at the 2300 block of Civic Center Drive near North Las Vegas Boulevard.
Villanueva’s arrest report states he got aggressive with Adams, telling him, “… Do something, I wish you would… Get your (expletive) up. Let’s go, tough guy.”
Surveillance footage then shows Adams’ throwing his walker toward Villanueva and out of the bus. Other passengers are then heard telling the suspect to leave the man alone.
Instead, police said Villanueva continued to challenge Adams, calling him a “baby girl.” Adams defended himself with his belt when the suspect manhandled him and shoved him toward the bus door.
Villanueva weighs 220 lbs. and was armed with a firearm, baton and chemical agents at the time, police said. He “also had a capable back-up officer on scene ready to assist him.”
The report states Villanueva pushed Adams out of the bus and fell on top of him. Adams’ face hit the concrete and police said his body went limp.
Adams was taken to a valley hospital and was there for a month before being taken to hospice. He died at Infinity Hospice as a result of the injuries on Dec. 21.
Police interviewed Villanueva on Jan. 8 and he told police he had problems with Adams in the past. He said he was “tired from working too many hours working with ‘the scum of the earth'” and that the victim had “got under his skin.”
Management from Triton Security said Villanueva was employed by Allied Universal security at the time of the incident, but that he was an employee of Triton Security at the time of his arrest.
Allied Universal sent the following statement Wednesday night:
We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased, and are disheartened about the events and outcome of this situation. The security officer involved was terminated when the incident occurred in November and his behavior in no way reflects the customer care and professionalism expectations of both Allied Universal and the RTC.
We deeply regret this tragic situation and are fully cooperating with both RTC and North Las Vegas Police Department on conducting a thorough investigation into this matter.
Police said they believed the force to be unnecessary given the circumstances and he was arrested for open murder.
He is expected in North Las Vegas Justice Court again on Jan. 24.
FOX Las Vegas
