Son a suspect in slayings of mother, father at home

A couple were found dead in their east valley mobile home Wednesday, and Las Vegas police were searching for their 20-year-old son, who was named a suspect in the double-slaying.

Timothy William Chester is thought to have fled his parents' home in their gold Dodge Journey with Nevada handicapped license plate PH76460, police said.

The bodies of the couple, whose names were not released, were found in their home in the Heritage Village Mobile Home Park at 1515 S. Mojave Road, near Charleston Boulevard.

Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Lew Roberts said their adult daughter went to the home at 4:20 p.m. and found the man and woman dead.

One of them died from a stab wound. The cause of death for the other person was unknown late Wednesday.

The motive for the slaying was unknown. Roberts said Chester and his parents argued Tuesday night and possibly early Wednesday afternoon.

Neighbors in the tight-knit community identified the couple as Tom and Carol and described them as two gregarious people in their late 50s. Neighbors did not know their last names.

Garrianne Sage, 50, went Christmas caroling around the community last year with Carol, who used a wheelchair.

"She always had a kind word for everybody," Sage said. "If you were down, she was the one to pick you up."

The couple moved to the park seven years ago, 10 days after 43-year-old Joseph Hughes also moved in. Hughes said that Tom was a security guard for NV Energy who often would cook during community block parties.

"They were great people," Hughes said. "They were some of the happiest people you could know."

The news of their deaths stunned residents in the mobile home park, where the couple was well-known and well-liked.

"It's sad. It's going to be different around here," Sage said. "It's a loss to the community."

Chester is described as a white male about 6 feet tall with dirty blond hair. He weighs between 210 and 230 pounds, according to police. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Anybody with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.