Arrest Report Sheds Light on Viral Showgirl Impersonator Brawl

New details have been brought to light by the arrest report of two showgirl impersonators who allegedly attacked a man and woman in a Sept. 30 incident on the Las Vegas Strip. Making the attack even more painful, the victims had come to town to get married.

The following video of the attack circulated widely on social media and was featured by TMZ…

Wedding Bash

According to the arrest report, obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Eric Richards and his fiancée, Merihazel Walters, both of North Carolina, were approached by three women donning showgirl costumes as they exited Paris Las Vegas. The impersonators asked if the couple wanted a photo taken with them. (According to police, the third impersonator was not arrested because police said she tried “her best to separate the fight while also deescalating the situation.”)

After Richards tipped the women $20 for posing for the photo with them, they demanded between $60 and $180 more, police said. As the couple attempted to walk away, Ortiz followed them to Planet Hollywood and initiated the physical confrontation.

“Ortiz can be seen walking closely behind Richards and his (fiancée) before a brief altercation occurred where Richards and Ortiz can be seen swinging arms at each other,” the report said.

According to police, Ortiz struck Richards multiple times—including with a high‑heeled boot, causing a visible forehead gash. When Walters attempted to intervene, she was tackled by Romero, who pulled her hair and hit her several times in the head and face with a closed fist, the arrest report said. Richards then pushed Romero away.

Both were treated at the scene and declined transportation to a hospital.

Jennifer Ortiz, 26, was arrested on suspicion of battery and obtaining money under false pretenses. Magdellena Romero, 43, was arrested on suspicion of battery. Both are scheduled for a Dec. 3 status check.

Impersonator’s Account Differed

Ortiz gave officers a different account of the incident, claiming that Richards and Walters requested photos and then declined to provide a tip. She told police that Richards punched her in the shoulder and that she removed her boots in an attempt to leave. Romero told officers she intervened because she believed Ortiz was being attacked.

However, police wrote in their report, surveillance footage from nearby cameras confirmed Richards’ and Walters’ description of events.

Municipal Court records obtained by the Review-Journal show that Ortiz had previously been cited in a March 29 incident at the Fremont Street Experience. Originally charged as affray and later amended to disturbing the peace, the citation resulted in a suspended 90‑day jail sentence, a one‑year stay‑out‑of‑trouble order, and a requirement to complete an impulse‑control class.

As officers detained Ortiz and Romero, another couple approached police and reported their own dispute with the same impersonators. They told officers they agreed to pay $60 via a tap‑to‑pay app on Ortiz’s phone but were charged $218. They said the performers later provided a nonworking phone number when confronted.

Call for Regulation

Costumed characters shaking tourists down for tips that are not negotiated in advance has become an unfortunately  common nuisance on the Las Vegas Strip—though it is just as common in other U.S. tourist hubs such as Times Square and Hollywood Boulevard.

 “I haven’t seen anybody really talk about this widely, but why not license street performers (on the Strip) at this point?” asked Shawn Coomer on the Oct. 6 installment of his Miles to Memories Vegas podcast. Noting that Fremont Street regulates its street performers, he asked: “Why not… make them get a license, make them be responsible for what they charge and then make them disclose prices upfront?”

“I think it’s created a confrontational sort of atmosphere for tourists and I don’t think that’s a good thing for Las Vegas.”