Vegas Woman Accused of Running Over Boyfriend After She Spots Stranger’s Tampon in Garbage

Posted on: May 29, 2024, 12:03h. 

Last updated on: May 29, 2024, 10:00h.

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

A woman is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday on an open murder charge after she allegedly drove a car into her boyfriend in a jealous rage.

A LVMPD police car
A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) car, pictured above. LVMPD officers arrested a woman who allegedly killed her boyfriend. (Image: KTNV)

Julie Bush, 30, aimed the vehicle at her boyfriend on Friday after she saw another woman’s tampon in a garbage can, authorities said.

EMTs rushed the injured man to a local hospital where he was in critical condition on Friday. His injuries included brain bleeding and collapsed lungs, according to a news report. He died on Saturday.

While her boyfriend was still alive, Bush was charged with DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, domestic battery, attempted murder, and drug possession. The attempted murder charge was upgraded to open murder after his death.

Following an autopsy, the Clark County coroner’s office identified the victim as Richard Penardo, Jr., 51.

Bush on Fentanyl

Bush, who was high on fentanyl at the time, confronted Penardo over finding the tampon, police said. The dispute escalated. Then, Penardo “retrieved a long, steel chain from the residence and went over to her vehicle,” according to a police report.

“He then started to swing the chain around, breaking the windows of Bush’s vehicle,” police added. That led Bush to push down the car’s gas pedal, striking Penardo.

Victim’s Body Smashed Into Wall

The impact led his body to become airborne and smash into a brick wall, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.Bush then allegedly drove over Penardo’s body.

She later was spotted “crying hysterically” standing over her boyfriend’s severely injured body, KLAS reported. Penardo and Bush had been in a relationship for at least a year, KLAS reported.

When police searched Bush’s car, they found bags of suspected methamphetamine (meth) and fentanyl.

Bush was arrested and Judge Daniel Westmeyer refused to set bail for her during a court proceeding on Saturday. She didn’t appear before the judge because of an unspecified medical ailment, according to KLAS.

The identity of the woman — who used the tampon and placed it in the garbage — remains unknown.

Penardo was previously convicted on various charges, including forgery, accessory to felony, conspiracy to commit murder, and insurance fraud, according to court records cited by KLAS.

The murder charge was linked to the death of Maria Marino in 2008 whose body was found on Mt. Charleston. Her cause of death was ligature strangulation.

Penardo and two women played a role in getting rid of the corpse.

Penardo also previously was sentenced to between three and 10 years for unemployment insurance fraud.