Poker news
September 2, 2009
Just as in today’s society there is road-rage, now we have poker rage! Only a month after a triple-murder that was poker-related in Florida there is another death. Arthur Prince, a sixty- one year old man was killed outside the Trump Taj Mahal located in Atlantic City. Another fifty-seven year old man- Vicente Perez will be charged with manslaughter (aggravated) and weapons offenses.
This is now the fourth poker related murder in a month and a half. Duane Crittenden was arrested in February for killing some players at his private game. Police say Crittenden flew into a rage when he felt he was cheated by three other players. He left the game but returned two hours later armed with a gun and a knife and proceeded to stab and shoot the three players.
The circumstances surrounding the murder at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City were a bit different. The murder happened in a very populated area of the casino- the valet area and neither party had any criminal record.
What allegedly transpired at the Taj Mahal as relayed by various sources is: Arthur Prince was playing
a no limit Hold’em game and Perez was on a waiting list. Arthur Prince lost all his chips in a play.
Prince gets up and leaving the table, tells everyone that he’s getting more money at an ATM. He asked that they hold his place at the table. Apparently, the dealer didn’t hear what Prince said and he assumed that Prince was leaving the table. The dealer announced that a spot was open.
Vincente Perez took the seat that had been Prince’s. Prince returns to the game where Perez is occupying his seat. Prince and Perez begin to argue and other players say Prince said he was going to come back, which the dealer claims he didn’t hear.
After several minutes, Perez leaves his seat and goes to the outside valet area, he once again, asked the dealer to hold his position at the table.
Prince became extremely enraged partly because he feels Perez unfairly took his place at the table, but now isn’t even using it.
The argument continues outside and escalates into an altercation. Prince begins to beat Perez with a cane or umbrella.
Perez pulls out a knife and stabs Prince. The knife hit an artery in his neck and he begins bleeding profusely. Prince is brought to the AtlantiCare Medical Center where he is pronounced dead shortly after. An investigation is underway and Perez is held on a $500,000 bond.
