Palms Casino Resort Strangulation Defendant Will Face Trial

Posted on: January 21, 2025, 12:14h. 

Last updated on: January 21, 2025, 12:23h.

The man who allegedly murdered a young woman at Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort in June recently was ruled competent to stand trial.

Larissa Garcia
Larissa Garcia, pictured above during happier times. According to KLAS, she was strangled and later died. (Image: GoFundMe)

Jason Kendall, 35, will face murder, sexual assault, and battery by strangulation to commit sexual assault charges for the killing of the alleged sex worker.

He’s scheduled to appear in Clark County District Court on Wednesday. So far, he’s not entered a plea on the charges. If convicted, he could face decades in prison.

Dispute Over Fees

While in a hotel room on June 12, Kendall got into a dispute with Larissa Garcia over how much he should pay her for sex, according to Las Vegas TV station KVVU.

The two reportedly met earlier in the day in the Palm’s lobby and went upstairs to the room.

While there, Garcia, 30, was struck in the face, choked for several minutes, and sexually assaulted, prosecutors said.

After leaving the hotel about an hour later, Kendall called police and anonymously claimed the victim had suffered a drug overdose, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. That turned out to be false.

EMTs went to the hotel room where they discovered Garcia and rushed her to Spring Valley Hospital. Doctors found no evidence of an overdose but did find evidence of a violent assault that led to a brain injury.

Upon further inspection … it looks like she was assaulted,” a hospital nurse told a police dispatcher shortly after Garcia was taken to the hospital, KLAS reported. “We thought it was an overdose, but she is not responding to Narcan or any of those drugs.”

Later, doctors determined Garcia had been strangled and possibly suffocated, according to news reports. Garcia remained in critical condition until she was declared braindead on June 21.

Police were able to identify Kendall as a suspect by checking hotel reservations. Police also reviewed Garcia’s texts, which showed she was meeting someone named “J” at the hotel, KLAS reported.

On June 28, Kendall was questioned by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers. He admitted to police he choked and sexually assaulted Garcia, according to Las Vegas TV station KSNV.

Was Mother of Two

Garcia is survived by two children, a mother, other relatives, and many friends.

Following her death, friends, relatives, and well-wishers donated to a GoFundMe site to help pay for her funeral and other costs, according to KLAS. It raised $20,550 from 192 individual donations. The original goal was $15K.

The fundraising site said her death was “devastating news.”

At just 30 years old, she was taken from us unexpectedly, leaving a void that can never be filled. She was a bright light in all of our lives, full of love and laughter,” the site added.

“Larissa’s mother, Kristie, is faced with the unexpected expenses of funeral costs and the planning of a celebration of life that honors Larissa’s memory. We want to make sure that Larissa has the beautiful and dignified farewell she deserves. One that reflects the love and joy she brought to the world.”