Thursday, October 8, 2009

Las Vegas, NV: NLV man charged in girlfriend’s death pleads not guilty

By Jeff Pope (contact)
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 | 3:12 p.m.

A North Las Vegas man charged with killing his girlfriend was arraigned today in Clark County District Court.

Floyd Lawson, 57, pleaded not guilty to murder with use of a deadly weapon.

Neighbors called police on March 30 saying they hadn’t seen Billie June Saterfield, Lawson’s girlfriend, for several days.

According to police reports, Lawson told Metro detectives that he saw an unknown man leaving the Saterfield’s home in March. Lawson said he confronted the man but the man escaped.

Saterfield was bleeding but still alive when he left, Lawson told police.

Lawson said he didn’t report the incident because he didn’t think police would believe he had nothing to do with the attack on the woman, according to the report.

Police arrested Lawson, citing inconsistencies with his story and after finding his DNA on Saterfield’s body.

The coroner’s office determined Saterfield, 66, died from a sharp force trauma to her neck and ruled her death a homicide.

His trial date will be scheduled on Oct. 26 in District Court. Lawson is being held in the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

The county’s Special Public Defender’s Office is representing Lawson. The office handles most death penalty cases.

The District Attorney’s Office has not filed a notice to seek the death penalty but could do so within 30 days.

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