A stolen license plate led a Texas sheriff’s deputy to spot Anthony Wrobel’s getaway car.
Law enforcement finally caught up to a disgruntled Las Vegas casino dealer, who allegedly shot two Venetian Las Vegas executives at a company picnic. Anthony J. Wrobel was caught in a small town in the Texas Panhandle and taken into custody. The suspect was found at a freeway rest stop.
Police noticed a stolen license plate on Anthony Wrobel’s dark gray Cadillac and immediately took action. Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Captain Robert Plummer said, “This case is a true example of good, old-fashioned police work.”
Anthony Wrobel, a 42-year-old casino dealer, is accused of opening fire on two executives of The Venetian at their employee picnic Sunday in Las Vegas. Wrobel was a dealer for the Las Vegas resort, which also serves as the headquarters for the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
Victims in Venetian Casino Picnic Shooting
The two victims were Mia Banks, 54, and Hector Rodriguez. Mia Banks died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Rodriguez, The Venetian’s executive director of table games, was seriously wounded and was hospitalized.
According to the latest police report following Wrobel’s arrest, the fatal crime took planning and is considered a premeditated murder. Three days prior to the shooting, Wrobel had the Cadillac stashed away at a McCarran International Airport parking garage. The plan was to quickly ditch his black-and-purple charger that he would be seen leaving the crime scene in, according to Metro Police.
Upon discovering the abandoned Charger, police investigators found a revolver, three ammo magazines, and scores of rounds of ammunition left behind in the vehicle. According to Robert Plummer, Anthony Wrobel’s had a handgun and two high-capacity magazines at the time of his arrest.
Anthony Wrobel’s Note of Rage
Detectives located a note in Wrobel’s apartment which allegedly was left by the disgruntled suspect. The note detailed his rage towards his bosses. Police believe the note was written by Wrobel, but Plummer would not release any further details on the findings.
According to the warrant, the police wrote, “A single sheet of paper was found on a coffee table expressing the writer’s anger at Venetian management.”
It was an impromptu decision that Wrobel made during his flight that ended up getting him caught. While driving through the town of Cedar City, Utah, Wrobel stole a license plate from a car.
The police investigators said, “We know the suspect stopped in Cedar City, Utah and stole a license plate off a vehicle in a neighborhood.”
Anthony Wrobel’s Arrest
After discovering Wrobel had fled from the State of Nevada, the FBI filed a federal arrest warrant. A criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court last Tuesday, charged Wrobel with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
An Oldham County, Texas sheriff’s deputy noticed the stolen license plates on Wrobel’s car and radioed for backup. When police approached the vehicle around 3 a.m., Wrobel was asleep. According to Plummer, after being woken by deputies, Wrobel grabbed a handgun, but immediately dropped it when authorities confronted him.
Wrobel’s Would-Be Destination Unknown
Authorities are unsure of Wrobel’s intended destination. They say he might have been traveling to Mexico, or he might have had a connection to Texas. Plummer said, “We do not know if he had a connection to Texas. We just pushed out all the information nationwide.”
Wrobel was held at the Oldham County Jail on Thursday until his extradition to Clark County. When he arrives back in Nevada, he will face one count of murder and another count of attempted murder.
Las Vegas Sands Corp Statement
Following the arrest, a statement was released from Alyssa Anderson, a spokeswoman for The Venetian’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., thanking authorities for their work leading to the arrest.
Speaking of the Venetian’s late-vice president, Alyssa Anderson said, “All of us continue to mourn the loss of Mia Banks. Our hearts are with Mia’s family. We hope this news provides some solace for everyone impacted by this tragic event.”
Ms. Anderson said that Rodriguez, the other victim shot by Wrobel, was continuing to improve. Anderson added, “We look forward to the day that he is released from the hospital.”
Targeted Act of Workplace Violence
The Metropolitan Police Department has deemed the shooting a targeted act of workplace violence and has depicted Wrobel as a disgruntled employee. Wrobel was a 15-year employee of the Venetian at the time of the fatal shooting.
The shooting launched a nationwide manhunt. According to a spokesman, the manhunt included law enforcement agents from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, The FBI, The U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) all helped to bring down the criminal.
Wrobel’s family has continued to cooperate in the investigation. His father, Joseph, who lives in Illinois, said during an interview on Thursday that he had not spoken to his son since last month.
Sands Corp. said they will be donating $50,000 to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The parent company of The Venetian had offered the money to anyone who helped to provide any information that helped lead to Wrobel’s arrest.
