Vegas in casino manager slaying suspect balks at court date

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man arrested in Southern California as a fugitive in the death of a Las Vegas slot machine parlor manager refused to appear in court Monday for a hearing on murder and other charges.

A Las Vegas judge ordered court officials to bring Samuel Fredrick Schmid to court on Tuesday “by any means necessary” to face charges also including robbery, battery and conspiracy, records show.

Schmid remained jailed and records did not immediately reflect if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Jail records showed that Schmid, 28, was booked Friday into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas following his arrested late May 16 in the Riverside County city of Desert Hot Springs and his transfer in custody to Nevada.

Schmid is accused of driving a stolen black Mercedes SUV that backed up May 11 and ran over 60-year-old Alicia Gibellina, fatally injuring her, after she went outside a Dotty’s slot machine parlor to confront a man fleeing with a purse stolen from a video gambling machine patron.

Records show that Schmid has a criminal history including several felony convictions for auto theft, robbery and theft. He was sentenced at least twice to serve time in Nevada state prison.