Trial begins for pair accused in man’s stabbing death

The trial for two brothers accused of stabbing a man to death in 2006 over a fake check scheme started Wednesday in District Court.

The brothers, Tony Morales, 33, and Thomas "Biggie" Morales, 31, are accused of killing Jesse Cothron at the Desert Spa Gardens apartments near Twain Avenue and Nellis Boulevard.

After the slaying, the victim's wife told police that Cothron, 27, was stabbed in the chest because of his involvement in cashing fake checks, according to a Las Vegas police report.

County prosecutor Josh Tomsheck told jurors that police found Cothron's blood inside a Ford Explorer the brothers had used. The victim's blood was also on Tony Morales' pants.

On the night of the slaying, the brothers visited a house on the 5000 block of Morris Street where the fake checks were being produced. They left for about 20 minutes. When they returned, Thomas Morales had a cut on his finger consistent with a knife wound, Tomsheck said.

Witnesses said the brothers also were at Cothron's apartment the night he was killed and spoke to Cothron briefly before he was stabbed outside the apartment.

Both brothers, who are in custody, sat at the defense table Wednesday. Tony Morales wore a black dress shirt and hair pulled back into a pony tail. Thomas Morales wore a button-up white shirt. His short hair covered the numbers "816" tattooed on his head.

Defense attorney Peter Christiansen, who represents Thomas Morales, said prosecutors hadn't presented evidence showing that the defendants were responsible for the slaying.

Attorney Christopher Oram, who represents Tony Morales, said there were no witnesses who saw his client hurt Cothron. "Not one single witness," he told the jury.

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