From: smokesig@ix.netcom.com (Neal Hamel)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: A Death in Las Vegas - 1995
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 05:29:09 GMT


I received the following note in the mail to which were attached to twol
documents:

"According to friends of the Thorburns, the were Scientologists!  Charlene,
now in a chiropractic business, was a nurse.

"She was _very much_  involved in Scientology. The husband also was, but I
don't know how deeply.  I wonder who the 2 other individuals were?

"There was a memorial service held for Robert at C of S.

[ unsigned ]




Here are the documents;

Document 1 appears to be a field report


CLARK COUNTY CORONER MEDICAL EXAMINER
1704 PINTO LANE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89106

NAME THORBURN. ROBERT AGE 45 DATE 09/27/95 CASE # 95-03615

On 09-27-95 at approximately 0445 hours, I responded to a call from the Las
Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Homicide Unit of an apparent
homicide. I responded to the parking lot of  "Las Vegas Auto parts" at 720
N. Main Street in Las Vegas, Nevada 89109.

Upon arrival at approximately 0455 hours, I spoke with LVMPD Homicide
Detective R. Chandler who related the following information. At
approximately 0259 hours, LVMPD received a call of an apparent shooting
taking place in the area of 720 N. Main Street. The first patrol officer on
the scene was LVMPD Officer Rosgen, P#4512. LVMPD Homicide Detectives
Chandler, P#7l2 and Ramos, P#799: Homicide Sgt. Keaton, P#505; Homicide Lt.
Jolley, P#475 and ID Technicians D. Ford, P#4244: R. McLaughlin, P#4170 and
L. Morton, P#4935 responded. Reference LVMPD Event #950927-0176.

Detective Chandler related that the decedent had been in a physical
confrontation with two other individuals. This confrontation took place
near a vehicle which was currently stationary on north Main Street, just
south of the cross street of Sycamore Lane. The confrontation moved from
that location to the north side of Sycamore Lane into the "Las Vegas Auto
Parts" parking lot. The parking lot is located south of the business
building. At some point in time, the decedent went to the vehicle,
described as a 1992 BMW 320i, 4 door, black in color with California
license plate 3CGR8l3 and obtained a .45 caliber automatic handgun. The
confrontation continued in the parking lot and one of the other individuals
involved obtained, location unknown, a .25 caliber automatic handgun.
According to bystanders, shots were fired and both of the other individuals
were injured. One of these individuals fired one round at the decedent. A
security officer from the Horseshoe Hotel was one of the bystanders, he
advised all individuals to remain in the location until LVMPD arrived. Upon
the arrival of LVMPD, they found the decedent and the two individuals to be
lying on the asphalt ground of the parking lot.

The two individuals were located to the west and northwest of the
decedent's feet. They were transported by Mercy Medical Services to
University Medical Center (UMC) for medical attention.

I viewed a Caucasian male lying face down on the ground of the
parking lot. His head was to the east and his feet to the west.
He was clothed in a blue t-shirt, black jeans, brown belt, tan
underwear, black socks and black sandals. There was a knife folded
up in his back right pants pocket along with a set of keys. The t-shirt was
pulled up exposing his back. On his face, head, right arm and the right
side of his abdomen, I observed a red substance which had the same
consistency of blood. A clean white sheet was placed to the north of his
body and he was rolled over onto it. I observed his left eye to be swollen
and discolored. There was a wound located above the left eye, appearing as
a cut. The back of his head felt soft. I observed anterior lividity to his
upper body and the front of his forearms which was consistent with his
position. Theme was trauma to his face. I pronounced death at 0505 hours.

The LVMPD ID Technicians had collected several items in the area including
the two handguns. The .45 automatic was described as a Colt MK IV Series 80
with serial #FG5l207. The thumb safety was on and there was one live round
located in the chamber. The magazine was not in place. The .25 was
described as a Beretta Model 95085 with serial #8R23754V. There was no
round in the chamber and two live rounds in the magazine which was loose.
ID Technician Ford stated that the Clark County Coroner - Medical
Examiner's Office (CCCME) would be contacted when a registration was
obtained on the handguns. Located near the decedent was an ID badge in the
name of Robert Thorburn from the ''Soldiers of Fortune Convention''

I was advised by Lt. Jolley that the vehicle would be towed to the LVMPD
Crime Lab by Ewing Brothers Towing.

At approximately 0515 hours, I contacted Desert Mortuary per rotation. Upon
their arrival at approximately 053û hours, the decedent was placed in a new
body bag add sealed with Coroner Seal #870829. We left the scene at
approximately 0550 hours. I followed the mortuary van back to CCCME
arriving at approximately 0600 hours.

At approximately 0705 hours, I was contacted by Detective Chandler
who related the following information. A wallet was located inside
the vehicle. There was a California driver's license #0512746, in
the name of Robert Thorburn, 1747 Kilbrourn Street, Los Angeles,
California 90065. The license described the individual as a
caucasian male, DOB 08-05-47, blonde hair, blue eyes, 6: and 180
lbs.

Property Receipt #46769 indicated that all property was left on the
decedent.


EXAMINING  PHYSICIAN

[ signed Karen P. Jensen - Coroner Investigator ]



Document Number 2 looks like the official file report.  It is formatted
with information which just doesn't translate well, so I have omitted some
irrelevent parts of the document.



Case No. 95-03615


REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
OFFICE OF THE CORONER MEDICAL EXAMINER, CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA
1704 Pinto Lane,  Las Vegas, Nevada 89106

DECEDENT: THORBURN, ROBERT   AKA     status M   DOB 08/05/1947
Residence Address 1747 KILBOURN ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90065 
Tel No. 213-222-0558  Desc: sex M Race c  Age 48   ss # 560-72-1413 
Height 75.00
Weight 210.00 Hair BROWN Eyes BLUE

Scars/Tattoos & other identifying features
NONE
Rigor Mortis: DEPENDENT PARTS   
Liver Mortis: BLANCHING, ANTERIOR 
Decomposed? No
Clothing BLUE T-SHIRT; TAN UNDERWEAR; BROWN BELT; BLACK JEANS,SOCKS AND
SANDALS
Drugs & Medications
Unkown


Occupation PLUMBER employed by SELF EMPLOYED
Agency Reporting LVMPD Date & Time Reported 09/27/95 04:45
location of body 720 N. MAIN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89101
Type of Death: V 
At Work: N


[  SOME DETAILS ON THE REPORT OMITTED ]


DEATH NOTIFICATION
N.O.K. CHARLENE THORBURN
Address 1747 KILBOURNE ST., LA, CA 90065
other #1
Address
other #2
Address
Means  PERSONAL CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE
Notification Made by ED BROWN, CCCME

Event # 950927-0176

To CCCME

Relationship WIFE
Tel No. 213-222-055
Relationship
Tel lo.
Relationship
Tel No.

Date 09/27/95 Time 16:00







The only point of posting this is to in some small part counterract the
claims that scientologists have some special understanding of how to live
their lives.  Just one case proves nothing, of course.  But one more case
amongst others, is part of the antidote to the lies that scientologists
tell to themselves and to others about the workability of scientology.


-Neal H

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