Two men accused of dressing as missionaries to rob man plead not guilty

Two men accused of posing as Mormon missionaries during a June home invasion robbery pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Authorities say Robert Estall, 25, and Abraham Austin, 28, dressed in white collared shirts and black ties and beat Terence Delucia bloody while robbing him at gun point.

Estall and Austin face robbery, kidnapping, burglary, battery and conspiracy charges.

The June robbery occurred when Delucia answered his door and found two men who appeared to be Mormon missionaries wanting to talk about religion.

Delucia testified at a preliminary hearing earlier this month that he didn’t want to talk and turned away to close his front door.

That’s when the robbers struck him in the back of the head and pulled guns on him, he told police.

Delucia’s wife and daughter hid in the home while the robbers asked “Where’s the safe?” and “Where’s the money?” according to a police report.

Delucia said about an ounce of marijuana and $3,000 cash was stolen. Prosecutors have suggested Delucia was dealing marijuana. He denied selling it, but admitted to buying the drug.

Police arrested Estall and Austin after releasing to the public images of the two men taken from security cameras Delucia had installed at his home after a previous robbery.

Detectives later learned that both defendants were inactive military, who once served at Nellis Air Force Base. It was unclear which branch of the military they served.

Delucia is not facing any criminal charges.

A trial date for Estall and Austin was set for Feb. 10. Meanwhile, both defendants remain held at the Clark County Detention Center on $250,000 bail.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.