Newly released security camera footage from Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip captured a significant moment before a tragic incident. The video shows two suspects, Erika Covington, and Arionna Taylor, both 20 years old, walking hand-in-hand and laughing with the man they are now accused of killing.
The footage, obtained by KLAS, depicts the encounter between the suspects and Bryan Altamirano-Solano, 25, during the early hours of May 15. Altamirano-Solano met the suspects at the valet area of the hotel and casino, where they agreed to accompany him to his room.
The footage shows the trio strolling down a hallway toward the victim’s room at 2:36 am. Merely 14 minutes later, Covington and Taylor are seen hurrying back down the same hallway, this time carrying what authorities believe to be Altamirano-Solano’s bag. Their actions raised suspicion, leading to their indictment on murder and burglary charges earlier this month. The victim had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation into the crime took a significant turn when authorities discovered a bullet, matching one found at a separate crime involving Taylor, in Altamirano-Solano’s room. Additionally, further scrutiny of Covington’s Instagram page revealed that she was indeed present at Caesars on the night of the shooting, wearing the same clothing seen in the video. Police also observed that Covington and Taylor were tagged in the same Instagram posts, indicating their close relationship as cousins.
Covington and Taylor were apprehended on May 17 at an apartment. A search of the residence led investigators to find the clothing seen in the video, as well as a Glock magazine. Initially, Covington denied being at Caesars on the night of the crime, but she changed her statement when shown photos extracted from surveillance footage. Subsequently, she requested a lawyer and terminated the interview.
On the other hand, Taylor claimed to have a poor memory due to a previous car accident. She could only recall spending time with her mother on Mother’s Day, the day in question, and later going to bed at Covington’s residence. Taylor insisted that the detectives needed to fulfill their investigative duties.
Shortly after the shooting, surveillance video captured Covington and Taylor getting into a stolen white car outside the Linq hotel before leaving the area. Notably, the hotel room where the incident occurred had been booked by an unrelated woman. She informed the police that she had met Altamirano-Solano on a texting app a week earlier and they had arranged to meet for a sexual encounter. She left the hotel around 1:00 am to return home.
The victim, a native of Nicaragua who did not speak English, was not discovered until approximately eight hours after the shooting when a member of the hotel’s housekeeping staff found his body.
Covington and Taylor claimed that they were unable to communicate effectively with Altamirano-Solano and resorted to using a translation app. Both suspects have pleaded not guilty to the crime. The investigation continues as law enforcement seeks to gather additional evidence and uncover the truth behind this tragic incident. Source.
