Bruce Charles Weinstein was 46 when he disappeared from his Las Vegas home on July 5, 1996. Family members said his disappearance was out of character: he called his mother daily and kept strict habits, and he left behind his phone, wallet, and favorite sandals.

Weinstein’s skeletal remains were found by hunters on August 11, 1996, in a remote desert area outside Las Vegas; dental records identified him and a .380 caliber bullet was removed. His death was ruled a homicide.

Authorities arrested DeChant and an associate, Bobby Jones; both were indicted on counts including murder and robbery with use of a deadly weapon. At the October 1998 trial prosecutors argued DeChant and Jones had plotted to take the cash Weinstein kept at home. DeChant was convicted of first-degree murder and later accepted a plea bargain after the conviction was overturned by the state high court.