Two accused in slaying; victim’s body in SUV

Two men were arrested Wednesday on numerous charges, including murder with a deadly weapon, in connection with the slaying of a 62-year-old man.

Police say Kenneth Laray Thomas and David Jones, both 27, shot and killed Heinz Jurgen Wietfeldt during a robbery, after which they left his body in his 2000 Cadillac Escalade parked in Southern Highlands in the southwest valley.

Wiefeldt's body was discovered behind the back seat of the SUV on March 19 on the 4500 block of Prada Place, near Southern Highlands Parkway and South Valley View Boulevard.

He had been bound and gagged and had a bullet wound in his leg and head, according to Thomas' arrest report.

Wietfeldt was reported missing the day before by a friend. The friend told police Wietfeldt "had an affinity for young black female prostitutes, and would often bring them back to his residence," according to the arrest report.

Detectives learned that Wietfeldt met a woman by the name of Simone Taylor through a telephone chat line, and the two had seen each other on a few occasions.

Taylor, who told police she had engaged in prostitution, said she had been "pimped out" by Thomas, her boyfriend of eight months, according to the arrest report.

On March 16, Taylor told Thomas she was going out with Wietfeldt, and Thomas told her to bring Wietfeldt to her apartment, where Thomas would rob him.

Taylor and Wietfeldt first went to Wietfeldt's house, and then to her apartment. There, Taylor saw Thomas and Jones in the hallway bathroom, where she told them, "We can't do this. I'm gonna tell him (the victim) to leave," according to the arrest report.

Thomas and Jones beat Wietfeldt, bound him, and stuffed him into a storage tub, according to the arrest report.

They put the tub in the back of the vehicle and drove to a dark road, where Thomas climbed into the back seat and fired at least twice into the tub, hitting Wietfeldt, according to the arrest report.

Taylor told police that Jones advised Thomas to get rid of the tub because it had a serial number on it, and they threw it into a dumpster in the Fairways at Southern Highlands apartment complex, on Southern Highlands near Valley View.

They left the Cadillac on a nearby street after emptying Wietfeldt's pockets, according to the arrest report.

Thomas and Jones have also been charged with kidnapping with use of a deadly weapon, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, and other charges.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.