LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The relatives of a man who was fatally shot inside a Caesars Palace hotel room in 2023 have initiated a wrongful death legal action against Caesars Entertainment.
In November, Erika Covington, who was 21 at the time, and Arionna Taylor, aged 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges related to the shooting death of Bryan Altamirano-Solano, 25, in May 2023. Altamirano-Solano had been in the U.S. seeking refuge from Nicaragua. The incident occurred when both women were still 20 years old.
The police originally stated that the women murdered Altamirano-Solano within the room at Caesars Palace before stealing his wallet. However, neither the authorities nor the prosecution have ever specified which of the women they think actually fired the shot. They did mention though that a shell casing found inside the room was consistent with Taylor’s firearm.
The prosecution stated that footage from a camera within Caesars showed the group heading towards Altamirano-Solano’s room at approximately 2:35 a.m. on May 15th. The clip reveals a bag draped across Altamirano-Solano’s torso. Approximately fifteen minutes after this sighting, further surveillance caught Covington and Taylor sprinting down a corridor; one woman held onto Altamirano-Solano’s bag during their run, according to prosecutors.
Police stated that officers located Altamirano-Solano’s body at approximately 11:30 a.m., following the discovery by a housekeeper.
The legal action initiated by Altamirano-Solano’s relatives asserts that Caesars Entertainment did not ensure a secure environment for him and neglected to implement proper safety protocols, which ultimately led to his demise.
The legal action asserts that before the incident occurred, theLVMPD alertedCaesars about an uptick in illicit sexual activities withinLas Vegas, notably along TheStrip, indicating their resources werestretched thin. Additionally,Metro urgedCaesars to adopt further preventive strategies, guidelines, and protocols to combat this surge in unlawful prostitution. Nevertheless, according to the suit, Caesars did not undertake any extra precautions following Metro’s advisory, or if such steps were implemented, they proved inadequate.
The legal complaint asserts that following reductions implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Caesars did not reinstate its security personnel to their previous numbers before the crisis began. The document further alleges that even with knowledge of past incidents involving violence, unlawful prostitution, or similar threats occurring at its location, Caesars neglected to ensure sufficient safety measures were in place. Additionally, the lawsuit contends that Caesars fell short in both recruiting and educating its protective team members adequately, which ultimately led to Mr. Altamirano-Solano’s demise.
The legal complaint further states that Caesars fails to keep records of every sex worker who has been banned from their premises unless some form of incident takes place. This lack of documentation hinders the establishment’s capacity for maintaining thorough tracking and surveillance of individuals involved in unlawful prostitution activities on its grounds. As noted in the suit, such limitations impede effective measures against recurring violations.
The lawsuit claimed that Caesars banned individuals under the age of 21 from accessing and lingering on the casino floor. Nonetheless, on May 15, 2023, the company allowed two minor sex workers, named Taylor and Covington, to go into, hang around, and stay within its property.
Altamirano-Solano’s family is seeking $50,000 in compensation.
Judge Tierra Jones of Clark County District Court sentenced Taylor and Covington to ten years in prison under a plea agreement back in January. They will become eligible for parole in 2033, taking into account the time they have already spent in custody.
Caesars Entertainment did not reply to 8 News Now’s request for comment when this article went live.
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