LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man accused of strangling and then sexually assaulting a sex worker, leading to her death, will remain in custody for now.
As the 8 News Now Investigators first reported, Larissa Garcia, 30, died on June 21 more than a week after the June 12 incident inside the Palms Casino Resort, documents said. Garcia used the names “Andrea” and “Dallas” in online escort advertisements, sources said.
Last Friday, Jason Kendall, 35, surrendered to police at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Headquarters where officers booked him on charges of open murder, sexual assault and battery by strangulation to commit sexual assault, documents said. The 8 News Now Investigators first reported Kendall’s arrest Friday evening.
In court Tuesday, Kendall’s attorney told Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Amy Chelini that he would request she set bail in writing. Kendall will remain in custody for at least a month until a hearing on Aug. 6.
On June 12, Kendall called police saying a woman was overdosing inside a hotel room at the Palms, documents said. Hotel security responded to the room, finding Garcia on the floor with a cut to her jaw. Police did not initially respond as Kendall indicated Garcia had overdosed.
At the hospital, doctors determined there was no alcohol or drugs in Garcia’s blood and that an overdose was not possible. Doctors then suspected Garcia was the victim of a battery, documents said.
On June 18, six days after the incident at the Palms, a nurse who specializes in sexual assault examinations noted Garcia had been strangled and “possibly suffocated,” documents said. Garcia died at the hospital on June 21 after a doctor declared her brain dead.
On Friday, Kendall entered police headquarters to report an assault, documents said. In the report, Kendall “confessed to a strangulation and sexual assault,” documents said. Kendall told police he paid Garcia $2,000 to have sex.
“Jason said Larissa requested additional payment and he ‘snapped,’” documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained Monday said. “He hit her in the face and ‘choked’ her for ‘ten minutes’ and ‘then had sex with her.’ After having sex with Larissa, Jason wrote he ‘drug her away from the door and left.’ After leaving the hotel he called the police to report an overdose.”
Garcia is the mother of two children and was attending school, friends told 8 News Now. Kendall is an Army veteran, sources said.
Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
