Emerson Marcus

RGJ

A nightclub security guard's fatal takedown of a Santa Crawl partygoer in December at the Eldorado Hotel Casino was "excessive" and "went beyond what is considered acceptable" for an arrest, a court affidavit filed Thursday says.

Stefan Johnson, 24, made an initial appearance in Reno Justice Court on Friday via video conference from the Washoe County Jail.

Johnson was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree murder for the slaying of Victor Victorio-Acevedo, 23, after an altercation in line at the BuBinga Lounge nightclub Dec. 15 during the Santa Crawl, one of the largest-attended annual pub crawl events in Reno.

During his appearance, Johnson said he believed he had filed for a public defender Thursday, but the public defender's office said he has not received an attorney as of early Friday afternoon.

The Eldorado issued the following statement Thursday: "From the day of the incident and throughout the investigation, the Eldorado has fully cooperated with local law enforcement, and we will continue to offer our full cooperation."

Victorio-Acevedo was denied entrance to BuBinga because of a profanity-ridden comment directed at door hosts he made on the BuBinga Facebook page just days before, according to the affidavit signed by a Reno police detective.

Additionally, he was starting a scene with guests in a long line for the nightclub on the mezzanine level of the Eldorado after drinking about four or five beers in the Circus Circus Reno parking garage that evening, the affidavit says.

A BuBinga door host pulled the nightclub's Facebook page on his cellphone, verified Victorio-Acevedo had posted it and asked him to leave, the affidavit says. The host escorted them to the end of the line near Johnson and another security guard.

Victor-Acevedo and two other friends left and headed toward exits on the first floor of the casino, making obscene gestures on their way downstairs, which were caught on video surveillance, the affidavit says.

Johnson then asked an Eldorado security officer if the three partygoers had tresspassed earlier that evening, the affidavit says.

The Eldorado security guard said he did not have knowledge of that, but if they had "they should be arrested," the affidavit says. The security guard saw Johnson approach Victorio-Acevdeo, the affidavit said.

Johnson said in a statement to police: "In the mezzanine the first male threatened me and we decided to arrest him for trespassing. The males were clearly intoxicated and combative the entire time we tried to escort them out."

Johnson lifted Victorio-Acevedo to head level, took him over his left shoulder and drove him into the ground, the affidavit says.

After the takedown, Victorio-Acevedo was taken to an Eldorado security office. He and a friend were detained for 15 minutes before police arrived at 2:16 a.m. Two officers arrived, noticed Victorio-Acevedo having trouble breathing and called REMSA at 2:18 a.m., the affidavit says.

He arrived at St. Mary's at 2:55 a.m. and suffered multiple cardiac arrests an hour later.

During surgery, a doctor discovered "about four liters of blood in Victor's abdomen and observed a stellate laceration of his liver," the affidavit said. Victorio-Acevedo died at 7:45 a.m. that day.

"Johnson's use of force to facilitate a questionable misdemeanor trespassing arrest was excessive and went beyond what is considered acceptable, proper or necessary to facilitate an arrest of an individual who, at the time, was complying with Johnson's order to leave," the affadavit said.

Two friends of Johnson appeared in Reno Justice Court for his friend's initial appearance Friday.

Shane Lyons said he met Johnson six years ago in college.

"He's hardworking, paid his way through college with no criminal background," Lyons said. "He was seriously just at work doing his job."

Johnson's next appearance is set for April 17.