Police probe financial motive in Quon death plot

Las Vegas police have begun to explore a financial motive in their criminal case against William Ronald Webb, the former officer charged with conspiring to kill his girlfriend, attorney Nancy Quon.

Police have so far uncovered $10 million in life insurance policies Quon has taken out in recent years, but they have yet to determine the beneficiaries of those policies.

Prosecutors have subpoenaed Quon's insurance companies for copies of the policies and any related records.

Police suspect that Webb and Quon plotted her demise because of a massive FBI investigation into allegations of fraud within homeowners associations around the valley. Police describe Quon's indictment in the federal case as "imminent."

A cooperating witness told detectives the couple wanted to arrange Quon's death so Webb could get her estate in order to collect life insurance money on behalf of her daughters, ages 29 and 25.

Webb, 42, is charged in a three-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit murder, trafficking in a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act. He is at the Clark County Detention Center on $400,000 bail.

The complaint alleges Webb conspired with an "unnamed co-conspirator" to obtain a lethal amount of the club drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, GHB, to give to Quon.

But Quon, 50, has told police that she never planned suicide. She has not been charged in the death plot.

On Tuesday, the case against Webb was temporarily transferred from Henderson Justice Court to District Court to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.

Henderson Chief Justice of the Peace Rodney Burr ordered Webb to make an initial appearance before District Judge Jackie Glass on Dec. 21. Glass oversees all competency matters in District Court.

Webb's lawyer, John Momot, had asked for the competency proceedings, telling Burr that "some issues" related to Webb's mental state had been presented to him. Momot did not elaborate, and he declined to comment afterward.

Burr asked Webb in the courtroom if that is what he wanted, and Webb responded, "Yes, your honor."

The move has put a hold on the criminal case in Justice Court, but it has not stopped prosecutors from taking the case to a grand jury. They began presenting evidence to the panel last week.

Prosecutors, however, will likely delay an indictment until the competency issue is resolved. Prosecutors often seek an indictment in a case like this to move it directly to District Court for trial without having to put on evidence at a public preliminary hearing.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last week that questions had been raised about Webb's mental health, as Quon for the first time broke her silence in the case. She told the Review-Journal that the police investigation of Webb, her boyfriend of six years, has put her in a "difficult situation" but that she was "OK" thanks to an "amazing" family support group.

The investigation of Webb became public with his Nov. 9 arrest while trying to obtain drugs from undercover officers at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. Las Vegas police undercover officers alleged that he threatened a shootout before he was taken into custody, and Momot said Webb was drinking heavily that night.