Credit Card Leads to 2 Suspects in Killing of Tavern Operator

Two men, one of whom allegedly used the stolen credit card of slain Santa Ana topless bar operator James Lee Casino, have been arrested at a Pasadena motel on suspicion of murder, police said Tuesday.

Arrested were Mark Lerallois Corbett, 33, a married and unemployed construction worker from Altadena, and Joseph Arman Orozco, 35, an unemployed carpet layer from Pasadena.

Both were being held without bail Tuesday at Orange County Jail. Court arraignments were expected late Thursday or Friday, said Buena Park Police Officer Terry Branum.

Corbett was paroled to California from Washington state on June 2, 1982, and was discharged 1 1/2 years later. Les Johnson, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections, said Tuesday that it could not be immediately determined what crime had led to the prison sentence.

Casino, 48, an ex-convict, was shot in the head with a small-caliber handgun shortly after 11:30 p.m. Thursday in his Buena Park condominium, police said. Two men broke into the home, tied his girlfriend, Shelly Faciones, 22, with a bandanna and belt and forced Casino to point out keys and other valuables in the home before he was killed, Branum said.

Casino allegedly had ties to organized crime, according to a probation report that was filed after he pleaded guilty last January to grand theft conspiracy, law-enforcement authorities said.

Police said Tuesday that they had no evidence that the killing was connected to organized crime. They said simple robbery may have been the motive.

“It looks like a hit, but it’s sloppy,” Branum said. “They were there so long (in the home), they take property, cars, things that can be traced back to them, and they leave a witness. That is not Mafia. The only thing close to a hit was that he was shot in the head.”

Mercedes Still Missing

Police said the gunmen stole jewelry, furs, a Chevy Camaro, a 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL and Casino’s credit cards. The Camaro later was abandoned on the Artesia Freeway near Knott Avenue. The gunmen ignored Casino’s Rolls-Royce, which was parked in the garage. The Mercedes is still missing.

An autopsy determined that the fatal shot was fired from three to five feet away, Branum said.

Faciones, distraught but unharmed, described the intruders only as being Latinos, Branum said. She has been shown a photograph of Corbett but Branum would not say whether Faciones identified him as one of the intruders. Detectives planned to show Faciones several more pictures this morning, including a more recent photo of Corbett and one of Branum.

On Saturday night, Branum said, Corbett used Casino’s American Express card to buy men’s cologne, toiletries and clothing at a Broadway department store in Canoga Park. When Corbett tried to make a second, costlier purchase, a clerk called to check his credit and learned that a “homicide hold” had been placed on the card, Branum said.

Corbett and a companion got “spooked” and ran to the parking lot, Branum said, but a security guard chased them and got the license plate on their car.

Police said Department of Motor Vehicles records show that the car is owned by Corbett. Branum said a DMV picture was shown to the Broadway clerk, who reportedly said it was the same man who used Casino’s stolen credit card.

Drunkenness Arrest

Buena Park police detectives who had been notified of the credit-card forgery contacted Pasadena police on Sunday to see if they had had any contact with Corbett. Branum said the detectives learned that Corbett had been arrested about 1 a.m. Sunday at the Pasadena Motor Inn on suspicion of being drunk in public. Corbett was booked in Pasadena but released on his own recognizance about four hours later, Branum said.

Buena Park police officers went to the Pasadena Motor Inn on Monday night.

When Corbett arrived about 10:30 p.m., he was arrested without incident, Branum said. Orozco was arrested inside a motel room. Corbett was carrying $4,000 in cash, police said.

Branum said that Orozco was read his rights and then “admitted he was with Corbett at the Broadway” but said he hadn’t used the credit card.

Both suspects have since refused to talk to investigators, Branum said.

Controller of Topless Bar

Casino, whose real name was James Lee Stockwell, was a reputed gambler, convicted swindler and controller of the Mustang, a topless bar in Santa Ana that police have tried repeatedly to shut down, claiming it has been used for “high-priced prostitution.” Casino’s checkered career included rifts with business partners and several lawsuits. When he was 21, Casino spent time in federal prison for tax evasion.

In January, 1986, he was charged with bilking more than $400,000 from at least 30 investors in Cowboy Hotdogs Inc. in a phony scheme to build hot dog stands throughout Los Angeles County. Only one of the stands was ever built. A judge ordered him to pay restitution before Jan. 31 of this year or face five years in state prison.

Alban P. Silva, Casino’s attorney, said his client had made partial restitution and was planning to pay the rest.