An army veteran accused of killing a sex worker in a Las Vegas hotel allegedly told police he "snapped" when she tried to increase her prices for services.
Jason Kendall, 35, has been charged with open murder, sexual assault, and battery by strangulation to commit sexual assault, in connection with the death of a woman at the Palms Casino Resort, according to police.
The victim was identified as 30-year-old escort and mom of two Larissa Garcia, KLAS-TV reported, citing sources and court documents.
The afternoon of June 12, Kendall and Garcia got a room at the Palms after meeting through an escort app. An hour later, Kendall was seen on surveillance footage leaving the property alone. Soon after, he allegedly called 911 to report a woman had overdosed in the hotel room. When police arrived, the victim was found unconscious with an injury to her jaw.
At the hospital, staff noted Garcia may have been strangled and "possibly suffocated," according to the documents, the outlet reported. There were no traces of alcohol or drugs in her system.
On June 21, Garcia was declared medically brain dead.
On Friday, Kendall turned himself in and allegedly "confessed to a strangulation and sexual assault."
After agreeing to a $2000 fee for sex, "Jason said Larissa requested additional payment and he 'snapped,'" documents read, according to the outlet. "He hit her in the face and 'choked' her for 'ten minutes' and 'then had sex with her.' After having sex with Larissa, Jason wrote he 'drug her away from the door and left.' After leaving the hotel he called the police to report an overdose."
Kendall is due back in court Tuesday. It's unclear if he entered a plea to the charges.
