Wayne Donald Horton: The Las Vegas Serial Killer
Background and Early Criminal Activity
Wayne Donald Horton was born on January 26, 1950, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Little reliable information is available about his childhood, although accounts describe him as growing up in poverty and developing a volatile temper. He left school during the 1960s and eventually moved to the Los Angeles area, where he supported himself through theft, automobile theft and other crimes.
On June 8, 1972, Horton and an accomplice named Robert W. Holmes were arrested in Downey, California. They were accused of using a sawed-off shotgun to rob two men of approximately $165. Both men were convicted of felony robbery and received prison sentences. Horton was eventually paroled and returned to Las Vegas. By that time, however, he had already committed his first known murder.
The Murder of an Unidentified Woman
Horton later admitted that he killed an unidentified woman in approximately May 1972. According to accounts of his confession, he met the woman at or near Atomic Liquors in downtown Las Vegas. After drinking and socializing, the two left together in a vehicle.
During the drive, the woman reportedly objected to Horton smoking marijuana. What began as an argument quickly became a deadly attack. Horton used a metal automobile jack handle to beat the woman to death. He then carried or transported her body into the desert south of Las Vegas, near Henderson, and placed it in a shallow grave.
The victim’s skeletal remains were discovered in early February 1973. Her skull had been badly damaged, and animals had disturbed and scattered portions of the remains. Investigators were unable to establish her identity. She became known as the “Henderson Jane Doe.” Although Horton ultimately admitted responsibility and pleaded guilty to her murder, her exact date of death and her true name remain unknown.
The Murder of Edward Anthony “Marty” Buccieri
On May 12, 1975, Horton killed 52-year-old Edward Anthony “Marty” Buccieri in Las Vegas. Buccieri worked as a floorman or shift supervisor at Caesars Palace and had been employed at the casino for several years.
Buccieri was found inside a bloodstained automobile in the Caesars Palace parking area. Horton later admitted that he had approached Buccieri intending to rob him. During the confrontation, Buccieri resisted or insulted Horton. Horton responded by shooting him repeatedly, including several shots to the head.
The murder attracted considerable attention because it occurred at one of the best-known casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and because of Buccieri’s position in the gambling industry. Other theories concerning Buccieri’s death circulated in later years, but Horton formally pleaded guilty to murdering him and received a life sentence for the crime.
The Murder of Taxi Driver William Tinnell
On August 8, 1975, Horton spent several hours drinking at a bar in downtown Las Vegas. He later entered a taxi driven by William Tinnell. During the journey, Horton confronted and robbed the driver.
Accounts of Horton’s later statements indicate that Tinnell pleaded for his life. Horton nevertheless shot him multiple times. He then transported or abandoned Tinnell’s body in a desert area and took possession of the taxi, which he used to return home.
Witnesses helped investigators trace the cab ride to Horton. When police searched his residence, they reportedly discovered bloodstained clothing, a firearm and other evidence connecting him to Tinnell’s death. Ballistic and forensic examinations supported the conclusion that Horton had recently fired the weapon associated with the killing.
Horton showed little remorse when discussing Tinnell. During subsequent court proceedings, he stated that he did not believe the driver “deserved to live.” His detached description of the murder became one of the most frequently repeated examples of his hostility and lack of concern for his victims.
Arrest and the Jailhouse Murder of Calvin Brinson
Horton was arrested in 1975 and held at the Clark County Jail while awaiting trial on murder and other serious criminal charges. Confinement did not stop his violence.
On April 21, 1976, 19-year-old Calvin Alexander Brinson was fatally stabbed inside the jail. Brinson was housed with Horton and other prisoners. Horton was accused of directing or participating with fellow inmates in the attack. The killing was described as unprovoked or as the result of a minor dispute inside the cell.
Horton openly admitted his involvement. Rather than offering a conventional motive, he blamed his actions on frustration and anger caused by being confined. Brinson’s death demonstrated that Horton remained capable of organizing or taking part in lethal violence even while under constant supervision.
Confirmed Victims
- Henderson Jane Doe — True name unknown. She was killed in approximately May 1972 after leaving a Las Vegas drinking establishment with Horton. Horton beat her with an automobile jack handle and buried her in the desert near Henderson, Nevada. Her skeletal remains were found on February 4 or February 5, 1973. The discovery date differs slightly among surviving records, but her death is believed to have occurred in May 1972.
- Edward Anthony “Marty” Buccieri, age 52 — Killed on May 12, 1975, in the parking area of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Horton attempted to rob Buccieri and shot him repeatedly. Buccieri was found inside an automobile at the casino.
- William Tinnell — Killed on August 8, 1975, after picking Horton up as a taxi passenger in Las Vegas, Nevada. Horton shot Tinnell during a robbery, left his body in a desert area and took the taxi.
- Calvin Alexander Brinson, age 19 — Killed on April 21, 1976, inside the Clark County Jail in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brinson was stabbed by inmates in an attack Horton admitted directing or participating in.
Confessions, Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
On June 5, 1976, Horton pleaded guilty to the murders of Edward Buccieri and William Tinnell. His guilty pleas formed part of an agreement under which prosecutors dismissed several other charges. Horton reportedly laughed or displayed amusement while describing portions of his crimes in court, behavior that disturbed observers and reinforced his reputation as an unusually remorseless offender.
He received consecutive sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the Buccieri and Tinnell murders. Instead of expressing relief that he had avoided execution, Horton complained that he would have preferred a death sentence.
On August 3, 1976, Horton entered additional guilty pleas for the murder of the unidentified Henderson woman and for his role in Calvin Brinson’s death. Those convictions added two more life-without-parole sentences. In total, Horton received four life terms without the possibility of parole.
The Delmar Bright Case
Horton was also investigated and initially charged in connection with the August 1975 strangulation death of Delmar Bright. That accusation was later dismissed. Another serial killer, Billy Lee Chadd, confessed to Bright’s murder and was connected to the case. Because Horton was not convicted of killing Bright and the charge against him was withdrawn, Bright is not included among Horton’s four confirmed victims.
Threats and Prison Conduct
Horton continued to make violent threats after his convictions. He told authorities that there were additional people he intended to kill if he received an opportunity. His threats were considered especially serious because he had already participated in a murder while confined in jail.
Nevada prison officials reportedly regarded him as a danger to inmates and correctional employees. He was eventually transferred to the California prison system and was held at San Quentin State Prison. Accounts of his incarceration describe repeated disciplinary and behavioral problems, although complete public records of his prison conduct are limited.
Death and Legacy
Wayne Donald Horton died at San Quentin State Prison on January 3, 2010. He was 59 years old. His death was attributed to complications associated with cardiovascular disease.
Horton’s confirmed murders occurred in and around Las Vegas between 1972 and 1976. His victims included an unidentified woman, a casino employee, a taxi driver and a fellow prisoner. The crimes were not connected by a single type of victim or a carefully planned method. Instead, they reflected a pattern of robbery, sudden rage, domination and extreme violence during confrontations.
His case is also remembered for the cold manner in which he discussed the killings. Horton admitted responsibility without displaying meaningful remorse, threatened to kill again and appeared disappointed that his punishment did not include execution. Although he spent the remainder of his life behind bars, the identity of his first known victim remains unresolved.
