Trini faces murder trial in Las Vegas

The trial is expected to last one month with jury selection starting on April 3, Newsday was informed yesterday.

Mitchell, 61, a retired Ministry of Works foreman, entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of murder earlier this week in Carson City District Court. Mitchell, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, was arrested on August 18 at Rock City, Laventille, by members of the local Interpol Branch after DNA testing of evidence found on Sheila Jo Harris’ body and clothing allegedly matched samples of saliva and blood obtained from Mitchell by warrant in the 1980s. On January 6, 1982, Harris, 18, was found slain in the bedroom of her Lompa Street apartment in Las Vegas.

An autopsy revealed that Harris had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled. Harris’ former boyfriend and Mitchell were both suspects in the 1982 murder, but investigators were unable to find physical evidence linking them to the crime.

Mitchell was arrested in the 1980s, but the charges were later dismissed with a right to re-file because of a lack of evidence. He left for New York with his family.

Mitchell denied having any contact with Harris outside of asking her if she wanted her name on her door when she moved in, according to court records.

Newly appointed District Judge Todd Russell will preside over the case and newly elected District Attorney Neil Rombardo will be in charge of the prosecution.

Shortly after the 1982 murder, Mitchell was deported to his native Trinidad. He had been in the US illegally.

After the DNA results were received in 2000, Mitchell’s whereabouts were unknown.

In 2003, investigators tracked down Mitchell’s ex-wife in Hawthorne, USA, who said she last contacted the fugitive in Trinidad in 2000.

In January 2005, Interpol, with the assistance of the TT police, found Mitchell living in Mount Hope, Trinidad.

He was working as a nightwatchman for the Ministry of Works and Transport. In January this year, a murder charge was formally laid against Mitchell and filed in the Carson City Justice Court in Nevada.