Four plead no contest in death

GARDNERVILLE -- Two Gardnerville men and a teen have pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of a man in June.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 3 for 28-year-old Jason Waugh, 30-year-old Anthony Gomez and 15-year-old Alexandrew Vail. They entered their pleas on Tuesday in Douglas County District Court.

Another 15-year-old boy, Jimmy Holman, pleaded no contest to a count of involuntary manslaughter.

The four confronted and beat 54-year-old Terrence Howell as he was riding his bicycle on June 21.

A Douglas County sheriff's deputy later found Howell and said he didn't show outward signs of trauma beyond a scraped elbow.

The next day, Howell's daughter found him in a bathroom, and his breathing was labored. Paramedics arrived, and he was taken to a hospital, where he died after surgery to remove his spleen. An autopsy showed he bled to death after his ribs punctured his spleen.

Prosecutor Tom Gregory said the incident stemmed from an argument between Howell's and Gomez's daughters.

Gomez, who said Howell had used "dirty language" with his daughter, and Waugh got into a car and went looking for Howell. They found him riding his bicycle to the store.

Waugh told District Judge Dave Gamble on Tuesday that he hit Howell in the face. Holman said he kicked Howell in the arm twice while trying to pull him off Waugh's leg, and Gomez also said he hit Howell.

Vail told Gamble he kicked Howell.

"We beat him down," Vail said. "He was on his hands and knees, and I kicked him a couple of times."