Nevada’s Moonlite Bunny Ranch Brothel is Site of Shooting, Sex Worker Standoff with Cops

Posted on: February 21, 2023, 01:42h. 

Last updated on: February 22, 2023, 06:16h.

A reputed sex worker was arrested early Tuesday at northern Nevada’s Moonlite Bunny Ranch shortly after a shooting spree at the infamous brothel, according to local media.

Savannah Henderson
Savannah Henderson, pictured above. The Moonlite Bunny Ranch employee was arrested after a shooting spree and standoff at the brothel. (Image: Lyon County Sheriff’s Office)

Savannah Henderson, 28, who also uses the name “Tiara Tae,” and who resides in Dayton, Nev., was charged following gunshots and a several-hour standoff at the Mound House, Nev. establishment.

Henderson allegedly discharged a firearm several times at about 9:37 p.m. on Monday, Las Vegas TV station KLAS reported. She then hid in a nearby room, authorities said.

Lyon County Sheriff’s Office deputies and officers from multiple departments — as well as Nevada state troopers and a SWAT team — responded to the crime scene. They negotiated with Henderson for about three hours before she freely surrendered.

The brothel was evacuated for a couple of hours until Henderson’s arrest. She faces counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a controlled substance, discharging a firearm, and obstructing/resisting a peace officer, according to news reports.

No one was injured by the gunfire, according to initial news reports. Several EMTs rushed to the brothel as a precaution. It’s unclear if the brothel saw property damage from the gunshots.

Henderson’s bail was set at $86,140 and she was in custody at Yerington, Nev.’s Lyon County Jail as of early Tuesday.

Brothel management initially notified the local sheriff’s office that the shooting may have been linked to an argument between two brothel workers, KLAS said.

Henderson’s previous criminal history remains unclear at the time of publication, nor was it immediately known what illegal drugs she allegedly had in her possession.

Known as Bully Barbie

Henderson was identified as a sex worker and prostitute by the Record Courier, a Nevada newspaper. She is known by such names as “The Mean Girl” and “Bully Barbie,” according to her Twitter feed.

On her personal website, Henderson describes herself “As a tall, blonde buxom woman that literally exudes sensuality.” She says she is “accustomed to having men, women, and couples seeking me out for erotic entertainment.”

The Moonlite Bunny Ranch is located some six miles east of Carson City, Nev. It opened in 1955. Dennis Hof was the owner between 1992 and his death in 2018. Hof was included in an HBO show, Cathouse: The Series. The brothel claims on its website it’s “the most popular and most respected sex destination on Earth.”

Prostitution is legal in 10 of Nevada’s 16 counties. Clark County, home to Las Vegas, prohibits legal prostitution.

Governor, Rock Star Among Brothel Visitors

Among the visitors to the Moonlite Bunny Ranch has been Jesse Ventura, the former professional wrestler and one-time Minnesota governor. He sold a belt there for $10 that was made from empty rifle shell casings, he revealed in his autobiography.

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil also reportedly was a visitor at the brothel. He was arrested there, too.