Man held in slaying of waiter

A 28-year-old valley man with a violent past was arrested Thursday in the slaying of a waiter whose badly beaten body was found Monday morning near the Caesars Palace loading docks.

Las Vegas police said Bryan Hall was arrested in his southwest valley home about 2:30 a.m. without incident. Police booked him into the Clark County Detention Center for murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon. He's being held without bail.

Police accuse Hall of killing Brad Flamm, 27, a waiter at Trevi in the Forum Shops. Police said Flamm was slain sometime after midnight Sunday. His body was found by authorities at 7:28 a.m.

Lt. Lew Roberts said police do not have a motive for the slaying and still are tying up loose ends in the case. Hall was captured on surveillance video, but police did not disclose what he was recorded doing.

The murder weapon was a grapefruit-sized rock, Roberts said.

Flamm died of blunt-force trauma to his head, Roberts said. The Clark County coroner's office has not yet released an official cause and manner of death. Roberts said the slaying occurred on a landing near a door commonly used by Caesars employees taking smoking breaks. Flamm's body was hidden underneath some bushes, Roberts said.

A white, five-gallon paint bucket found near Flamm's head had fingerprint impressions that matched the suspect, according to Hall's arrest report.

Roberts wouldn't comment on any connection the two men might have had, but said earlier this week that Flamm was a target in a "personal" attack. Roberts said a combination of surveillance video and tips from the community led to a break in the case Wednesday night.

He said detectives have been working nonstop to solve the brutal slaying.

"All things coming together at one time, one place, allowed us to arrest this individual," he said.

Fred Flamm, the victim's father and a high-level executive at the Palms, said he's relieved the suspect in his son's death has been caught.

"I'm happy he's off the streets and he's not going to hurt anybody else," Flamm said. "I hope the system does its duty and this guy never sees the day of light again."

Flamm said his son never spoke with him about Hall. He didn't know of any connection the two might have had.

An Internet social network and court records indicate that Flamm and Hall might have known each other.

Hall's arrest report states that a chef at Trevi told police that Hall worked at the restaurant a year ago and the suspect and victim knew each other.

Hall lists a Brad Flamm as one of his friends on MySpace. Court records also show that following a 2006 arrest, Hall listed Bertollini's restaurant in the Forum Shops as his emergency contact. Bertollini's is now Trevi. Trevi's manager has said Flamm worked at that location for the past six years.

Roberts said Hall currently is unemployed.

Hall has been involved in at least two previous criminal cases, both involving violent incidents with his then-wife.

In July 2003, Las Vegas police arrested Hall after he beat his pregnant wife into unconsciousness, court records state. Before the beating, the couple had argued during lunch with friends.

A friend took the wife to her mother-in-law's house, where she hid in the closet, court records state.

When Bryan Hall arrived, he found his wife and "attacked her with his fists," according to an arrest report. He hit her in the head and face and punched her in the stomach, even though she was five months pregnant, the report states.

In February 2006, a month after his wife filed for divorce, Bryan Hall burst into her apartment, pushed her into a desk and grabbed property, according to court files.

Under a proposed plea agreement, he had planned to plead guilty to burglary and have two other charges, including domestic battery, dismissed. Court records were unclear about the final resolution of the case.

The divorce was finalized in May 2007.

On his MySpace page, Hall describes himself as a proud parent and provides a link to daily Bible verses. He also describes himself as a "poet, rebel, author, warrior, zealot, king."

Hall did not make a statement to police after his arrest. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court today.

Flamm recently fell in love with a girl he had been dating since Valentine's Day, his family said, and was the happiest he had ever been. They were at a loss to understand how he fell victim to such a violent attack.

"Brad was not the kind of guy to pick a fight," Fred Flamm said. "He would never fight anybody. ... He was just a great kid."

A memorial service for Flamm will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Palm Mortuary, 6701 N. Jones Blvd.

Reporter Lawrence Mower and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.