DA’s office decides to pursue death penalties in four cases

The district attorney's office will seek the death penalty against five defendants in four separate murder cases, Clark County District Attorney David Roger said Thursday.

The death penalty committee approved this week seeking capital punishment against Timothy Chester and Victor Veliz, Xiao Ye Bai, William Marshall and Rayshaun Coleman.

Roger declined to comment on the cases.

Chester and Veliz, both 18, are two best friends accused of conspiring and killing Chester's parents in September.

They are charged with two counts each of murder with a deadly weapon and one count each of conspiracy, burglary and robbery with a deadly weapon in connection with the deaths of Thomas and Carla Chester.

Bai, 23, is accused of the July fatal stabbing of Wen Jun "James" Li at a southwest valley karaoke bar over an unpaid debt.

Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Bai's three co-defendants in the case, Pei "Nikki" Pei, Jacky Wang and Li "Sophia" Lu, who are charged with murder in connection with Li's death.

The four defendants are charged with multiple felonies, including extortion and conspiracy. Authorities allege Bai was the one who stabbed Li.

Marshall, 38, is accused of killing 21-month-old Shia Travis in June and leaving her body in a Las Vegas trash bin. Shia's mother, a prostitute named Darrean Williams, had left her daughter in Marshall's care, authorities said.

Henderson authorities charged Coleman, 21, with murder in the slaying of 6-week-old Tristin Michaels Hilburn, who was found dead with burns on his body. Coleman was watching the boy for his girlfriend.

The five defendants are being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. They have each pleaded not guilty.

Trial dates for the cases are scheduled for 2010, beginning in February.

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