Killer gets prison term, loses bid for new trial

LAS VEGAS - The man whose jealous anger triggered a botched contract murder has lost his bid for a new trial and faces at least 47 years in prison.

Keith Shanley, 30, was convicted in August of murder and other charges related to the February 1998 shooting death of George Veit at a Best Auto store on the city's northeast side.

Prosecutors said the intended victim was Steve Conley, who also worked at the store and was living with Shanley's former girlfriend.

In September, the capital murder trial of accused triggerman Steven Acosta ended when the defendant agreed to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, which carries a possible sentence of two to 10 years.

Acosta, 34, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 1 on the conspiracy charge.

After that guilty plea, public defenders filed a motion for a new trial for Shanley.

The attorneys noted that prosecutors did not contend Shanley was present at the murder scene. Instead, the murder conviction was sought because it was believed Shanley participated in a conspiracy with Acosta and therefore shared responsibility for Acosta's actions.

Prosecutors said there was much more evidence against Shanley because Shanley implicated himself in statements to friends and associates. His ire at receiving a harsher sentence than Acosta is not a basis for a new trial, prosecutors said.

District Judge Sally Loehrer on Tuesday denied Shanley's motion for a new trial. The judge also sentenced him to life with possibility of parole in 40 years on his conviction for first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon. He must serve an additional seven years on related charges before he is eligible for parole.

Veit, a Mormon Church leader and the married father of four, was slain by a masked gunman who burst into Best Auto and fired two shots into the store manager.

Police searched in vain for a motive, then learned that Shanley had spoken of his intention to have someone kill Conley, who was similar in age and build to Veit.