Las Vegas Casino Guard Murder Suspect Takes Plea Deal — Update

Posted on: October 19, 2022, 08:49h. 

Last updated on: October 20, 2022, 01:51h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

UPDATE: Pedro Lizano, 35, who faced a murder charge in the death of Las Vegas hotel security guard Randall Lyons, 67, has taken a plea deal that could put him in prison for 2-8 years.

Surveillance video, posted today by KLAS-TV, shows the horrifying moment that Lizano — previously arrested 48 times — pushed Lyons to the ground outside the El Cortez Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street.

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EARLIER: A Las Vegas man is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. That’s after being indicted last week for the murder of Randall Lyons, 67. Lyons, a security guard for the El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas, was pushed to his death on the job last year.

Randy Lyons
Randy Lyons, a security guard for the El Cortez in Las Vegas, seen above, died of injuries sustained while attempting to apprehend a man causing a disturbance last year. (Image: KLAS-TV)

His accused murderer, 35-year-old Pedro Lizano, has 48 prior arrests, according to police records researched by KLAS-TV/Las Vegas.

On Sept. 26, 2021, Lyons responded to a call about a man causing a disturbance in the El Cortez valet, according to the arrest report. When he approached the man, police said, the man “forcefully and aggressively shoved” him with both hands and fled the scene.

Lyons’ head hit the pavement, rendering him unconscious. Paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, where he was determined to have a brain bleed. He never fully regained consciousness.

Police distributed photos of the suspect to all nearby hotels and casinos. The next morning, an officer identified Lizano as the suspect outside a downtown business and arrested him. (A witness also identified Lizano in a photo lineup.) Initially, he faced charges of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. Investigators said they attempted to interview him, but his responses were “incoherent.”

A Tearful Goodbye

On Feb. 23, 2022, after doctors informed Lyons’ wife that he had developed a second brain bleed and was not expected to survive, she made the difficult decision to remove him from life support.

“I said, ‘I’m going to miss you’ and ‘this is the best thing for you,’ and he squeezed my hand like he understood,” Elizabeth MacDowell told KLAS-TV.

After Lyons’ death, prosecutors filed a murder charge against Lizano, court records showed. Last Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Lizano on felony counts of murder against a victim who was 60 or older and battery resulting in substantial bodily harm against a victim who was 60 or older.

Lizano entered guilty pleas twice during his arraignment on Monday after Judge Tierra Jones asked him to clarify it. After being corrected by his attorney, Lizano amended his plea to “not guilty.”

49th Arrest

Though many of Lizano’s priors were for missing court dates, records showed his most recent arrest was for battery and vehicle theft. Lizano was never sentenced to time in any case.

I don’t hate him, but I can’t forgive him,” MacDowell told KLAS-TV about the man charged with killing her husband.

Lizano is due in court again next week. His attorney asked a judge for a trial within 60 days.