A former home-based caregiver accused of killing a man whose body was found near Mount Charleston nearly five years ago made a brief court appearance Friday.
The body of William “Bill” Ellis was found on September 11, 2018 in Carpenter Canyon, located about 15 miles outside of Pahrump, near the Mount Charleston area. Although Ellis was reported missing on September 26, 2018, his body was not identified until 2021, the Metropolitan Police Department said Thursday.
Police announced Thursday that arrest warrants had previously been issued for Kortny Payne, 45, and Patrick Byrom, 41, in connection with Ellis’ death. The couple were serving sentences in Colorado for an “unrelated crime” committed in November 2018, the Metropolitan Police said.
Court records show that a warrant was sought for Payne’s arrest in September, while Byrom’s warrant was sought in May.
Ellis had hired Payne to be her in-home caregiver about two months before her body was found, police said.
Payne made an initial court appearance on Friday morning, when attorneys said they plan to address his bail status at a later date. Coroner Daniel Westmeyer ordered Payne held in custody without bail. He scheduled another court appearance for Monday.
Byrom, who is also being held without bail, made his first court appearance on Wednesday. Court records indicate that he is serving a 13-year sentence in Colorado.
The two face charges of murder with a deadly weapon, battery of an elderly or vulnerable person resulting in death or significant bodily injury, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery, according to court records.
