Rio Las Vegas Stabbing Suspect Arrested, Man Faces Murder Charge

Posted on: December 22, 2021, 11:25h. 

Last updated on: December 22, 2021, 11:54h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

An arrest has been made in the Rio Las Vegas fatal stabbing incident that occurred earlier this month.

Rio Las Vegas casino stabbing police
Las Vegas Metro Police have arrested Nicholas Dove on murder charges stemming from a stabbing at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The murder occurred in early December of 2021. (Image: LVMPD/Casino.org)

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police (LVMPD) revealed this week that Nicholas Dove, 27, was arrested on Friday, December 17, for his alleged involvement in a stabbing in a Las Vegas Strip hotel suite that left one man dead.

Law enforcement alleges that Dove and the victim — 38-year-old Carlos Polanco Garcia — engaged in a heated argument that turned violent just after midnight on December 3.

Police responded to a call from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino reporting a stabbing. Officers were directed to a hotel room where they found Garcia suffering from multiple stab wounds. Garcia later died from his injuries at Universal Medical Center.

Suspect Apprehended

Dove fled the Rio Las Vegas hotel room where Garcia was stabbed, police say. But the 27-year-old suspect was located and arrested last Friday. Metro did not provide details regarding where Dove was apprehended.

Detectives believe this incident is narcotics related and the suspect was known to the victim,” a Metro release explained.

Following his arrest, Dove was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he remains in custody. He’s charged with open murder with a deadly weapon and battery with the use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm.

Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys Hofland & Tomsheck explain that “open murder” is a general allegation of murder.  That embraces all levels of the crime, including first- and second-degree murder. A jury or judge will decide, if the charges go to trial, which level of offense occurred.

LVMPD is seeking additional information in the ongoing investigation. Anyone with tips should notify Metro’s Homicide Section at 702-828-3521. Those wishing to remain anonymous can do so at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.

The Rio, which is owned by Dreamscape Companies and operated by Caesars Entertainment, began the year with a shooting incident.

On January 16 at around 3 am local time, police responded to the Rio’s parking garage, where they found a man in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. It took police nearly two months to arrest Romell Buckly, 18, who was tracked down in California and charged with attempted murder with a deadly weapon.

Strip Violence

COVID-19 ravaged Las Vegas, as visitors stopped coming during much of 2020 and into this year. Room rates plummeted, and that was credited for bringing in more members of a sleazier crowd to the Strip.

Though overall crime rates declined in 2020, violent crime spiked on the main drag and elsewhere in the Las Vegas Valley. Nevada’s murder rate jumped 27 percent in 2020. Casino.org has reported on many of the violent attacks over the past 24 months.

In January, a man was shot outside The Venetian. Two men were arrested and charged in the shooting. The victim survived the attack.

In February, a retired Connecticut State Police officer visiting Las Vegas died after getting into a fistfight with an assailant, who was later arrested.

In April, a man was arrested for stabbing a victim inside The Cosmopolitan. Las Vegas police charged Chris Okoronkwo, 33, with attempted murder, assault, and battery with a deadly weapon.