2018 homicide suspect, former in-home caregiver, appears in court

A former in-home caregiver charged with killing a man whose body was found near Mount Charleston nearly five years ago made a brief court appearance Friday.

The body of William “Bill” Ellis was found on Sept. 11, 2018, in Carpenter Canyon, located about 15 miles outside of Pahrump near the Mount Charleston area. Although Ellis was reported missing on Sept. 26, 2018, his body was not identified until 2021, the Metropolitan Police Department said Thursday.

Police announced Thursday that arrest warrants had previously been issued for Kortny Payne, 45, and Patrick Byrom, 41, in connection with Ellis’ death. The couple were serving sentences in Colorado for an “unrelated crime” committed in November 2018, Metro said.

Court records show that an arrest warrant for Payne was requested in September, while Byrom’s arrest warrant was requested in May.

Ellis had hired Payne to be his in-home caregiver about two months before his body was found, police said.

Payne made an initial appearance in court on Friday morning, when attorneys said they plan to address her bail status at a later date. Hearing Master Daniel Westmeyer ordered Payne to remain in custody without bail. He scheduled another court appearance for Monday.

Byrom, who also remains in custody without bail, made his first court appearance Wednesday. Court records indicate he is serving a 13-year sentence in Colorado.

The two each face charges of murder with a deadly weapon, abuse of an older or vulnerable person resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery, court records show.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.