Tony Ray Amati

Serial Killer

Tony Ray Amati – The Las Vegas "Thrill Killing" Case

Overview

Tony Ray Amati, whose full name is Anthony Ray Amati, became associated with a short but deadly series of shootings in Las Vegas, Nevada, during 1996. Amati and two associates, Troy Sampson and Edward James, were accused of involvement in three apparently random killings committed between May and August of that year. Because prosecutors characterized the shootings as killings committed for excitement rather than robbery, revenge, or another obvious personal motive, the crimes became widely described as "thrill killings." Amati has consequently often been described as a serial or thrill killer, although an important legal distinction is that he was ultimately convicted of only one of the three murders. A jury acquitted him of murdering the other two victims. The three men killed during the 1996 series were Michael Matta, John Garcia, and Keith Dyer. Their verified dates of death were May 27, July 28, and August 20, 1996, respectively. The shootings occurred within the Las Vegas area and were connected during the investigation through weapons and other evidence. A fourth person, Stacie Dooley, survived after being shot during the attack that killed Dyer.

Early Life

Anthony Ray "Tony" Amati was born on June 28, 1976, in Carbondale, Illinois. His family later relocated to Las Vegas, where Amati attended Clark High School. He graduated with honors in 1994. His academic background later received attention during his murder trial because it contrasted sharply with the violent crimes of which he was accused. Testimony presented during the proceedings described him as intelligent and capable of understanding the difference between right and wrong. By 1996, Amati had become associated with Troy Sampson and Edward James. Prosecutors would later argue that the three men formed the group responsible for a succession of shootings that appeared to have little connection to the victims themselves. Rather than targeting known enemies, investigators believed the victims had largely been selected because they happened to be available targets. ...

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Michael Matta Age: (27), Date of Death: 1996-05-27

Survivors:

Stacie Dooley , Date of Attack: 1996-08-20

Tony Ray Amati - Wikipedia