Man guilty in ex-monk’s death

The man accused of shooting and killing a former Tibetan monk in downtown Las Vegas was found guilty Friday afternoon of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.

A Clark County jury found Justin Porter, 26, guilty of killing Gyaltso Lungtok, 31, a Golden Gate blackjack dealer who was found slain in his home in 2000.

But the jury acquitted Porter of charges of burglary while in possession of a firearm and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon.

The jury deliberated for several hours before reaching a verdict.

Porter, who was 17 at the time of the slaying, remained silent as the court clerk read the verdicts. Members of his family, who attended each day of the trial, quietly wept after the verdict was read.

"We still have a long way to go," said one relative.

Porter is still facing multiple other charges. Authorities said he went on a major crime spree in Las Vegas in 2000 that included the sexual assaults of four women.

Authorities accused Porter of breaking into women's homes and raping them at knife-point. One victim told police that Porter stabbed her and tried to set her apartment on fire after he raped her.

He is set to go to trial in the other charges at a later date.

Prosecutors and Porter's defense attorneys declined to comment after the verdict was delivered.

Sentencing on the second-degree murder charge is scheduled for July 8.

During Porter's trial, which opened on Wednesday, prosecutors played an audio recording of a confession Porter gave to police after he was taken into custody in Chicago.

During the confession, Porter could be heard crying. He told police that he broke into Lungtok's apartment because he was seeking shelter and believed it was unoccupied.

Once inside the apartment, Lungtok startled Porter who then opened fire, shooting Lungtok seven times.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.