Thread: Tip led to capture of suspect in Reno strip club homicide...

Tip led to capture of suspect in Reno strip club homicide; one suspect still at large

By Jaclyn O'Malley
January 25, 2010

News that an anonymous tipster led to the recent arrest of a man charged in a warrant related to the 2008 shooting death of 20-year-old Bryan Coursey has given his family hope that the remaining suspect in the case also will be captured.

Coursey’s sister, Bobbi Vesco, and his father Wally Coursey and grandfather, Pete Coursey, say the Jan. 4 arrest of suspected illegal immigrant Arnulfo Carillo, 35, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder is proof that Secret Witness works. There also is an immigration hold placed on him.

“I was afraid they wouldn’t make any arrests until after I passed away,â€

Victim's family elated after Secret Witness tip leads to slaying arrest

By Jaclyn O'Malley
January 29, 2010

The arrest of a man charged in connection with the 2008 shooting death of 20-year-old Bryan Coursey has given his family hope that the other suspect also will be captured.

Coursey's sister, Bobbi Vesco, his father Wally Coursey and grandfather, Pete Coursey, said the Jan. 4 arrest of suspected illegal immigrant Arnulfo Carillo, 35, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder is proof that Secret Witness works.

"I was afraid they wouldn't make any arrests until after I passed away," Pete Coursey said. "Sometimes, they are never caught. I am just elated, and I think Secret Witness is a great outfit. You can rat on someone and get away with it because it's all anonymous."

The local organization takes anonymous tips through its hot line and Web site, passes them on to law enforcement and pays rewards for information leading to arrests and prosecutions.

The Coursey family raised $11,500, and Secret Witness is offering a $2,500 reward.

Vesco said the tipster is collecting the Secret Witness reward.

Because this tipster declined to accept the Coursey family's reward, Vesco said there remains $14,000 offered for information leading to the arrest of the remaining suspect, Cesar Garcia, 25, whose whereabouts are unknown.

He is charged on a warrant with conspiracy to commit murder.

The family is hoping someone will be tempted by the $14,000 to provide information about Garcia.

"I am so happy," Wally Coursey said of the arrest. "A year and a half seems like forever, but some families wait forever. I know in my heart, we will catch the other guy. It's in God's hands now."

Bryan Coursey died 17 days after he was shot in the head June 15, 2008, as he and some friends stood outside Diamond Dolls club, 310 Spokane St.

A group of men in the club were ordered to leave following an altercation that spilled into the parking lot. Bryan Coursey was not involved in the dispute and had never been inside the club.

Vesco said it was surreal when she received a call Jan. 5 from a Reno police detective about the break in the case.

She was told Carillo had been working in Inglewood, Calif., as a handyman, under an alias. Her family said ads that ran in Wheels & Deals, a California auto classified magazine, prompted the tip.

Wally Coursey said magazine officials ran the ads because they were touched by the case.

"We will never know the tipster, and we are so grateful they did the right thing," Vesco said. "Now, Cesar Garcia needs to be brought to justice. We are going to get him. As a family, we are strong and will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes. We will do whatever it takes to bring him to justice, to get justice for Bryan."

Tipsters do not have to reveal their identities to get the rewards. They are given a confirmation number a the time of the tip, and they call back with the number following an arrest to arrange for payment.

Detectives used video surveillance to identify the suspects, with arrest warrants obtained for Garcia and Carillo, who also is held under immigration scrutiny.

www.rgj.com