Death Penalty on Table for Aliante Casino Shooting, Carjacking Suspect

• Man accused of killing senator’s son could face death penalty
• High-speed chase injured bystanders, caused citywide destruction
• Prosecutors cite “aggravating factors” in capital punishment review

Clark County prosecutors are weighing the death penalty for a man accused of killing a former Nevada state senator’s son before leading police on a chaotic, multicarjacking chase across Las Vegas.

Aerion Warmsley, 19, is alleged to have shot Na’Onche Osborne, 23, to death at the Aliante Casino in the early hours of March 28. Osborne, who was shot seven times, was the adopted son of former State Senator and one-time mayoral candidate Pat Spearman.

Warmsley is alleged to have fled the scene in a stolen Mercedes, sparking a high-speed chase that caused “the mass destruction of everything,” in the words of Deputy District Attorney Morgan Lombardo.

Chaos and Destruction

About 30 minutes after the shooting, police were called to the scene of a crash near Spring Mountain Road and Interstate 15. Officers realized the vehicle involved in the crash was the suspect Mercedes from the Aliante killing.

When they received reports of an armed carjacking, they suspected it was their man. They tracked the stolen vehicle to the downtown area using license plate readers.

The suspect allegedly slammed into a bus stop at Boulder Highway and Tropicana Avenue, injuring at least two bystanders, one critically according to law enforcement. The chase continued after the suspect was able to carjack a third car.

Eventually, police rammed the car and arrested Warmsley around 9 am — five and a half hours after he fled Aliante.

28 Felonies

Nevada prosecutors have charged Warmsley with 28 felony counts, including murder with a deadly weapon, multiple counts of robbery and burglary, kidnapping, coercion, battery, domestic battery, reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, and duty to stop at the scene of a crash involving death or injury.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal said the case is going to the death review committee to decide whether to pursue capital punishment because of “aggravating factors.”

Warmsley is next due in court on July 3.