Las Vegas NowI-Team: Preliminary Hearing Held in John Herda Murder Case

I-Team: Preliminary Hearing Held in John Herda Murder Case

The man charged with murdering local business man John Herda faced a preliminary hearing Tuesday. The suspect was confronted by his ex-girlfriend, who says she was told about the murder. 

The suspect in this case was on the run for three months before he was finally caught. It is an investigation that lead all the way to Mexico. Crawley, 37, was making hand gestures before court began in the afternoon session. 

He was apparently directing his silent commentary to Allison Kiel, his ex-girlfriend who took a plea deal and is now testifying against him.

"He said he was going to go do something so he could take care of me the next day," said Kiel.

Prosecutors allege what Crawley did was murder 83-year-old John Herda, at Herda's home in the gated Spanish Oaks community last August. Prosecutors say Crawley targeted Herda in a home invasion robbery, and they say Herda fought back and shot Crawley before he was killed. 

Allison Kiel saw the wound.

"He had a hole in his stomach on the right side," said Kiel.

Prosecutors say Crawley then traveled to Mexico where he paid Dr. Miguel Moreno $700 in cash to take out the bullet.

Dr. Miguel Moreno, via a translator, said, "He told me he accidentally shot himself with a small weapon and hit his body."

John Herda came to Las Vegas in the 1960's and is best known for founding Herda's Discount Appliance, which is still in business today and is run by his two sons.