Saturday, March 11, 2006

Police have suspect in club arson fire

Audry Olmsted El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

At least $60,000 is missing from a safe at the Eagles Club and police are waiting to hear back from the state gaming commission before filing any charges in the arson fire that occurred March 1.

Detective Angel Garcia said he was sure the amount of funds missing from the safe at the club would be more once the New Mexico Gaming Commission goes through the books.

The detective said police do have a suspect, but the person has already retained an attorney and police have been unable to speak with them.

Garcia said it was the gaming manager of Eagles Club who reported to police the amount missing from the safe.

Also missing from the club is paperwork that was to be turned in to the New Mexico Gaming Commission on the day of the fire that showed the financial status of the gaming portion of the club.

In the past nine months, Garcia said, paperwork has not been turned in to the commission. In that same period of time, taxes have not been paid and vendors who own machines in the gaming room have also not been paid.

Firefighters responded to what they thought was an electrical fire on the morning of March 1. When they arrived, however, they found water on the floor from a melted PVC pipe and also evidence of a fire.

Garcia said in a previous El Defensor Chieftain article that there was evidence of a fire in the surveillance room, inside a safe and in the gaming room.

The fires were extinguished by the water leak before firefighters arrived.

The detective said they have retrieved video surveillance tapes of inside and outside the club, but are not releasing any information at this time about what is on the tapes.

Police are now waiting to hear back from the gaming commission before taking any further action. Garcia said they should hear from these officials within the next few days.

aolmsted@dchieftain.com

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