Ex-police officer competent for trial

Court-appointed psychiatrists have found former Las Vegas police officer William Ronald Webb competent to stand trial on allegations of a conspiracy to kill his girlfriend, attorney Nancy Quon.

District Judge Jackie Glass on Tuesday ordered Webb, who is in custody on $400,000 bail, to appear in Henderson Justice Court on Dec. 30 so that a new date for his preliminary hearing can be set.

Prosecutors, however, are looking to obtain a grand jury indictment against Webb to move the case directly to District Court for trial.

"We plan to continue presenting evidence to the grand jury," District Attorney David Roger said.

Webb's defense lawyer, John Momot, said he has informed prosecutors that he wants a chance to present evidence on Webb's behalf to the grand jury before prosecutors ask for an indictment.

Momot, who had sought the court-approved mental evaluation, said he has other "competency concerns" about Webb, including his client's apparent dependency on alcohol.

"I'm delving into this further," Momot said. "I am exploring other areas."

Webb, 42, a police officer for more than 17 years, is alleged to have threatened a shootout with undercover detectives on the night of his Nov. 9 arrest at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. Momot has said Webb was drinking heavily at the time.

Webb is facing a three-count criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to commit murder, trafficking in a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act. The complaint alleges Webb conspired to obtain 51.4 grams of the club drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) to give to Quon, who planned to kill herself.

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. Las Vegas police describe Quon's indictment in the federal case as "imminent."

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

But 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.

Detectives have so far uncovered $10 million in life insurance policies Quon took out, 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.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135 or read more courts coverage at lvlegalnews.com.