Witness says pair ordered slaying of ex-Palomino club employee
A key witness in the Palomino strip club murder case testified Tuesday that the defendants in the trial ordered the slaying of Timothy Hadland, an ex-employee who was bad-mouthing the club to cabdrivers.
Rontae Zone said the former owner of the Palomino, Luis "Mr. H." Hidalgo Jr., ordered Hadland's killing. Zone, along with three other men, was present when Hadland, 44, was killed in 2005.
Luis Hidalgo Jr., 58, and his son, Luis "Little Luis" Hidalgo III, 27, are on trial for Hadland's slaying. They face charges of murder with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder.
Luis Hidalgo III also faces charges that he plotted to kill witnesses after the slaying.
Zone told jurors another defendant in the case, Deangelo Carroll, 28, asked him whether he wanted to take part in the slaying in 2005. He declined, but another friend named Jayson Taoipu agreed to take part, Zone testified.
Zone testified that Carroll told him that "Mr. H" would pay $6,000 to whomever took part in the slaying. During his testimony, Zone referred to the plot as having someone "dealt with." When asked whether that described killing someone, he replied that its meaning is "obvious."
Authorities said the Hidalgos had Hadland killed because he was criticizing the club, which in turn cost the North Las Vegas strip club thousands in lost revenue. Both Hidalgos have pleaded not guilty.
Zone, who worked handing out fliers for the club, was friends with Carroll before the May 19, 2005, slaying. Carroll awaits trial.
On the night of the slaying, Zone, Taoipu, Carroll and a fourth man, Kenneth Counts, 33, drove to Lake Mead and met Hadland on an isolated road.
Zone testified that Counts snuck out of their minivan and shot Hadland twice in the head.
Counts was found not guilty of murder during a February 2008 trial but was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. He's serving an eight- to 20-year sentence.
Taoipu pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder.
Zone was not charged in connection with the slaying.
Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.
