A second suspect faces charges in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a construction company owner last week.
Jonathan Martinez, 40, faces charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, battery, extortion and coercion.
In an arrest report, the Metropolitan Police Department alleged William Costa, 42, and other suspects kidnapped Larry Gilmore on Thursday.
Gilmore is an owner of Gilmore Construction, according to police, who alleged that an IRS investigation had found Costa’s wife, Cynthia Marabella, stole $20 million from Gilmore’s company. State and federal court records do not show any recent charges for Marabella.
Martinez appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court for a brief hearing Wednesday. Jail records show he was arrested Sunday. His bail was previously set at $500,000.
Defense attorney Ryan Helmick objected to a reporter and photographer being present in court because “we don’t want media.”
“That’s not a legal basis,” said Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Diana Sullivan. She granted a request for camera coverage of the case.
Sullivan said a criminal complaint has been filed against Martinez. After conferring with Helmick and Chief Deputy District Attorney Sam Kern, she said there is no immediate intent to consolidate Martinez’s case and Costa’s.
According to Metro, Gilmore left his house to drive to the office on Feb. 20.
At a stop sign at Starr Avenue and Dean Martin Drive, he noticed a purple Lamborghini, which matched the vehicle the IRS told him Marabella had purchased with the money she embezzled, police said.
While he was looking at the Lamborghini, a Chevrolet Suburban rear-ended his vehicle.
A man got out of the Suburban and showed Gilmore photos of his wife and children, police said, and a second person then put him in a choke hold and forced him into the vehicle.
The report alleged the men took Gilmore to the desert, told him to get on his knees and held a gun to the back of his head.
Costa gave him two choices, according to police. The “good option” was to tell the IRS “the money was given as a gift or investment for a business” to get the charges against her dropped, the report said.
The “bad option” was that if Gilmore couldn’t “make Marabella’s charges go away” or talked about the incident to anyone other than his father, Costa would kill Gilmore’s family but leave him and his father for last, so they could witness the slayings, Metro alleged.
After Gilmore pleaded, police said, Costa released him.
Martinez’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.
