Woman facing murder charges in roommate’s death held without bail

A 26-year-old woman charged with murder for fatally shooting her roommate with a shotgun made a brief appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court Tuesday.

Mary Pitrello appeared in court dressed in navy blue jail scrubs with her arms and legs shackled. She hung her head down during the hearing to hide from news photographers and videographers.

A judge set a preliminary hearing for Oct. 1, when prosecutors must show they have enough evidence to send the case to trial.

Pitrello was then remanded to the Clark County Detention Center and ordered held without bail.

Following the hearing, she gestured with her middle finger at a Review-Journal photographer as she was being escorted by marshals from the courtroom.

Las Vegas police said Pitrello shot and killed Oliver Doppert Thursday night because she was angry he stopped her from driving drunk.

Doppert’s girlfriend told detectives Pitrello was angry because her boyfriend took away Pitrello’s car keys. He didn’t want Pitrello to drive after she’d been drinking, the girlfriend told police.

But Pitrello told police she killed Doppert after he raped her about a week earlier in their apartment at 9050 Warm Springs Road, near El Capitan Way.

Investigators were skeptical of Pitrello’s claim. She never reported a rape to police and spent the day drinking at the pool with Doppert and another friend.

Pitrello fired a shotgun through Doppert’s bedroom door as he spoke on the phone with his girlfriend, police said. He died at the apartment.

Pitrello left the home with a friend after the shooting and fled to the Stratosphere casino. The friend notified authorities and. Pitrello was arrested at a casino bar.

Review-Journal videographer Michael Quine contributed to this report. Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.