Suspects assert innocence

The two suspects charged with the Luxor car bombing that killed a casino employee pleaded innocent Thursday.

Prosecutors have charged Omar Rueda-Denvers, 32, and Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, 27, in the May 7 slaying of Willebaldo Dorantes Antonio, who triggered the explosion of a pipe bomb when he tried to remove a Styrofoam coffee cup on top of his car inside the hotel's parking garage.

The bomb was hidden inside the cup.

According to a Las Vegas police report, Duarte-Herrera, who hails from Nicaragua, crafted the bomb at Rueda-Denvers' request to kill 24-year-old Dorantes Antonio, who was dating Rueda-Denvers' ex-girlfriend.

The two placed the bomb inside the cup on top of Dorantes Antonio's car and left the garage, according to the report.

Dorantes Antonio had received threats at work over his relationship with Caren Chali, who police said is the mother of Rueda-Denvers' child.

Chali, who worked with Dorantes Antonio at the Luxor, told police Rueda-Denvers, who also goes by the name Alexander Perez, had been trying to get her back.

Dorantes Antonio had told his supervisor at one of the two restaurants he worked at about the threats.

Chali was with Dorantes Antonio at the time of the explosion but was unharmed.

Rueda-Denvers and Duarte-Herrera are scheduled to go to trial May 27 in District Judge Michael Villani's courtroom.

Prosecutor David Stanton said he plans to seek the death penalty for the pair in September.

He estimated the trial will take about two weeks and several expert witnesses.

"Logistically for the state, it is a difficult case," Stanton said.