California’s Rolling Hills Casino Scene of Alleged Attempted Murder

Posted on: December 5, 2020, 05:28h. 

Last updated on: December 6, 2020, 11:39h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A man was being held Saturday on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot a hotel guest at California’s Rolling Hills Casino and Resort, according to local news reports. The victim suffered non-life threating injuries.

The victim's injuries were not life-threatening
Police taped off an area in front of a hotel at California’s Rolling Hills Casino. The Lodge was the scene of a shooting on Saturday. (Image: KHSL)

John Matthew Justice, a resident of Chico, located nearby, was arrested and later was placed in the Tehama County Jail. Justice was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, reported KHSL, a local TV station. Bail was set at $515,000, the report said.

Justice was staying at the The Lodge at Rolling Hills Casino. He allegedly fired a single shot that went through the door of a nearby room, the report adds.

The bullet wounded the man who was inside the room. Injuries were believed to be relatively minor, based on initial news reports.

Police said they seized a handgun from Justice’s hotel room. The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Justice on Saturday morning.

The casino, hotel, and golf course — located on tribal gaming property near Corning — were placed on immediate lockdown as a safety measure, casino officials said and KHSL reported.

In a statement, Steve Neely, the casino’s general manager, said facilities would reopen gradually. As of 4:44 pm Saturday, the casino reopened, the TV station added.

Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians tribal Chairman Andrew “Dru” Alejandre thanked police who responded to the casino, which is owned and operated by the tribe.

“We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the Corning Police Department, California Highway Patrol, and the local sheriff’s department for their quick response and handling of this situation,” Alejandre was quoted by the Red Bluff Daily News, a local newspaper.

Rolling Hills Casino Was Site of Embezzlement

Last year, three former officials of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of $6 million from Rolling Hills Casino.

Former FBI officer John Crosby, his mother Ines Crosby, and her sister, Leslie Lohse, were described as going on a “12-year looting spree” with the casino’s coffers, according to allegations in a 69-count indictment released in 2017.

They used the money to charter private jets, go to the World Series, and buy a luxury car and precious metals, the Sacramento Bee reported.

The three defendants were scheduled to be sentenced by US District Judge Morrison England Jr. earlier this year. It was not immediately known what their sentences were or will be.

Violence, Shootings at Casinos Nationwide

Elsewhere, casinos across the country have seen shootings and other violent crimes recently on their properties. On the Las Vegas Strip, police have blamed much of the uptick in recent violent crime on gangs and out-of-state visitors.

In response, Metro police and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo joined with other law enforcement agencies in stepping up enforcement along The Strip and in other areas popular with tourists. It has made some progress, police have said.