Women arrested in robbery, death of 95-year-old

Teresa Meamber and Kierstie Manning were in desperate need of money the morning of July 26 because they wanted to bail Manning's boyfriend out of jail, according to a Las Vegas police report obtained Wednesday.

"Manning wanted to do a trick roll (posing as prostitutes to rob a john), but Meamber stated it would take too long, so they decided to steal a purse," the report said.

The two drove to the Smith's grocery and drugstore parking lot near Desert Inn Road and Decatur Boulevard, where they spotted a perfect target: 95-year-old Bertha "Bert" Meier, the report said.

Meamber drove her Nissan Sentra and Manning, a passenger, got out and latched onto Meier's purse, the report said. But the elderly woman wouldn't relent.

"Oh, no you don't," she told Manning, the report said.

Meier never let go of the purse and ended up being dragged while Meamber and Manning tried to leave in the moving car, according to authorities .

Meier won the tug-of-war, but her hip was shattered in the 9:45 a.m. attack. She died Aug. 16 from her injuries.

Meamber, 30, and Manning, 19, recently were arrested and face a slew of charges including murder of a victim 60 years or older.

They are being held in the Clark County Detention Center on no bail. Other charges include conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery and performance of act in reckless disregard of persons or property.

Jail records show Manning was arrested Wednesday, Meamber on Sunday.

According to the report, police first caught up with Meamber on Aug. 18 during a traffic stop. Officers noted she was driving a blue Sentra and matched the description of a suspect in the attack.

It was caught on the supermarket's parking lot surveillance video.

Investigators began tracking Meamber's movements and noticed she moved from a home near the crime scene to her mother's home. And she bought a car cover shortly after the getaway car's description appeared in media reports.

The report said Meamber fled to California, where she was arrested on felony warrants. The FBI contacted Las Vegas police and told them they had Meamber in a cell in Los Angeles.

On Nov. 23, police interviewed Meamber, who confessed to the attack and implicated Manning.

On Monday, police interviewed Manning at her North Boulder Highway home in Henderson, the report said.

Manning told police the two first hunted for a victim in the parking lot of the Palms but couldn't find one. She told police she wanted to stop and help Meier, but Meamber wouldn't let her.

The report said she told investigators that after the attack, she and Meamber pawned items to get the bail money.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.