Tony Ray Amati

Before the initial spree, Amati along with two accomplices, 27-year-old Troy Sampson and 23-year-old Edward James, robbed a gun store of $30,000 in southern Las Vegas, as well as stealing 75 firearms. Their crime spree began on May 27, 1996, when Amati, Sampson and James loaded over 20 rounds of bullets into 27-year-old Michael Matta in a parking lot in southern Las Vegas, ultimately killing him. Matta was homeless, and was reportedly rummaging though bags of trash when killed.[2] In July, two blocks away from where Matta was gunned down, the trio shot 48-year-old John Garcia to death in his garage near Tropicana Avenue.[3] Four weeks later, in August 1996 the trio gunned 13 bullets into 22-year-old Keith Dyer just outside of a friends home, killing him.[2]

At the scene, Amati cut his hand, leaving blood that police eventually collected and used to implicate him.[4] In October 1996, Amati, Sampson and James sold stolen guns to a dealer. Unknown to them, the buyer was an undercover policeman, and both Sampson and James were apprehended, while Amati remained at large. Their trailer was subsequently seized and searched by investigators, who uncovered the stolen weapons, which were eventually matched the guns used to kill all three victims.[2] Since Amati couldn't be located, his two accomplices remained in police custody until he was found.

In February 1998, Amati was officially added to the FBI's ten most wanted list, who subsequently took over the case. During the time Amati was at large, he was featured in an episode of the popular television program America's Most Wanted, in which investigators involved in the extensive manhunt for Amati said that he was most likely armed and dangerous, given the stolen guns.[2] They suspected Amati might be in Illinois, because of family that was known to have lived there.[5] Days after the episode was broadcast, detectives received a tip from Georgia, and FBI agents were dispatched there to find him. On March 1, agents stormed Amati's hotel room in Atlanta and arrested him. It was found that in the two years Amati was a fugitive, he went under multiple pseudonyms including Anthony Ray Jones, Phillip D. Gitlitz, Debon Restivito and Shane Wade.[5]

Amati, Sampson and James were all charged with the murders, but because of evidence being withheld by the judge, Sampson and James' charges were dropped by the district attorney, but Amati's remained.[2] In 1999 he stood trial, denying his guilt, claiming the murders were primarily committed by Sampson and James, and that he himself never pulled the trigger.[3]

During the trial, Amati claimed he only participated in the string of killings out of fear of Sampson, and that he only avoided arrest because he believed no one would believe him even if he turned himself. Amati was found guilty for the killing of Dyer, but was spared a death sentence and instead sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He is serving his sentence at the High Desert State Prison, and will be eligible for parole in 2038, when he is 62.[4]

• List of serial killers in the United States
• FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, 1990s