Crime reporter Glenn Puit, after scoring the first interview with slaying suspect Craig Titus earlier this week, hopes to have one of the first books on the Titus-Kelly Ryan case out by November.
Puit, a Review-Journal police and court reporter for more than a decade, is in the final chapters of "Fire in the Desert: The True Story of the Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan Murder Investigation."
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He's doing the book on the high-profile bodybuilding couple with Stephens Press. (Full disclosure: Stephens Press is owned by Stephens Media, which also owns my employer, the Review-Journal).
Titus, 41, and Ryan, 33, his fitness champion wife, are charged in the December death of their personal assistant, Melissa James. Her burned body was found in Ryan's Jaguar on a desert road near Las Vegas.
Puit said, "I've gotten my hands on 22 witness statements in the case that have never before been released to the public."
In late 2005, Puit released his first book, "Witch: The True Story of Las Vegas's Most Notorious Female Killer," through Berkley True Crime.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
An investigation by yahoo.com alleges Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush accepted more than $100,000 in financial benefits from marketing agents during his career at the University of Southern California. Among the benefits alleged: a $623.63 charge for a hotel stay by Bush at The Venetian in a March 2005 trip to Las Vegas. The room was charged to Michael Michaels, according to a document signed by Bush, the Web site reported. Michaels and Lloyd Lake were courting Bush as the first client for their agency, called New Era Sports & Entertainment. If Bush accepted benefits, the NCAA's sanctions for USC could cost Bush his college eligibility retroactively and the Heisman, the Web site said. ...
"Survivor" and "Apprentice" creator Mark Burnett is in Las Vegas this weekend with a 30-member crew to start shooting his latest reality show, "Gold Rush." Three contestants arrive today to chase clues for the first $100,000 prize. Shooting will be at V Theater in the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood. Burnett's latest concept: Viewers will be able to participate in weekly efforts to discover gold stashed throughout the United States. Twelve weekly winners will compete for the $2 million grand prize. ...
MAY I RECOMMEND...
With the whack of a traditional wooden mallet, Siegfried & Roy tap the ceremonial first keg of Oktoberfest at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hofbrauhaus, 4510 Paradise Road. The German illusionists are continuing a tradition that started 196 years ago in a field outside the gates of Munich. Proceeds from a raffle will benefit the Friends for the Las Vegas Police Department K-9s, one of Siegfried & Roy's pet projects. For information, call 853-2337.
SIGHTINGS
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, signing autographs Thursday at the International Vision Expo West at the Sands Convention Center. ... Mike Tyson, partying with pals Wednesday at Tangerine in Treasure Island. ... Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Supremes, healthy again after a heart scare, at Toni Braxton's show Thursday at Flamingo Las Vegas. ... Michelle Nunes, the Las Vegas blackjack dealer who was crowned Miss Hooters International 2006, joins Fox's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" as a guest tonight at 10:30 p.m. ... Babe alert: The Chippendales are familiar with gazing into a sea of stunners, but Saturday's crowd figures to be exceptional. A delegation of 14 Ford Models from New York -- many of them cover girls -- are taking in the 10 p.m. show at the Rio.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Britney is doing fine. The baby is doing fine. The husband is doing nothing." -- Jay Leno
