Three plead not guilty in robbery, deaths of two men in June

Three men on Thursday pleaded not guilty to executing and robbing two alleged drug dealers in June.

Carlos Zapata, 23, Ralph Jeremias, 24, and Ivan Rios, 24, face two counts each of murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon. They also face one count each of conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary.

Investigators believe that on June 7, Jeremias went to the Polo Club Apartments, on Decatur Boulevard south of Flamingo Road, to buy marijuana from Paul Stephens and Brian Hudson.

Both Rios and Zapata told investigators that Jeremias entered the apartment alone with a handgun and shot each victim multiple times, police said.

According to the grand jury indictment, both men were shot in the head.

Jeremias and at least one other suspect returned later to collect a laptop computer, marijuana, bank cards and cash, police said.

The Clark County district attorney's death penalty committee will meet in about two weeks to decide whether to pursue capital punishment in the case.