Shane Valentine’s mother calls Las Vegas Judge Melanie Andress-Tobiasson a ‘vigilante’

LAS VEGAS — Convicted felon and long-time Las Vegas pimp Shane Valentine appeared before the Nevada Board of Parole to plead his case why he should be granted parole this month.

Valentine has been incarcerated since March 2017, after having been convicted of burglary and discharging a firearm at a structure.  He is currently in the Warm Springs Correctional Facility in Northern Nevada.  

Shane Valentine

On October 8, 2016 Valentine shot into the home of Alethea Kauffman, the mother of Nehemiah “Neo” Kauffman, who along with his girlfriend Sydney Land, were both found shot in the head in their Southwest Las Vegas apartment on October 27, 2016. That double homicide is still unsolved.

As previously reported by the Baltimore Post-Examiner Valentine threatened the lives of Alethea Kauffman, Neo Kauffman and Sydney Land while he was outside the Kauffman residence on October 8.   Less than three weeks later Sydney and Neo were found dead.  

Valentine, who according to police is still a suspect in the still-unsolved murders, has not been charged in the deaths of Land and Kauffman.  On October 25, 2018, Metro Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer at a press briefing on the unsolved murders said, “We have not ruled out Shane Valentine as a suspect, we are still looking at him as a person of interest in this case.”   

That was the last official word we have heard from the police.

Shane Valentine appears before the Nevada Board of Parole

Valentine, who has a criminal history dating back to 2010 was already a prior convicted felon for burglary and assault with a deadly weapon before he was convicted for the crimes for which he is now incarcerated.

Besides the Baltimore Post-Examiner, the only other media organization present at the hearing was the Nevada Current on October 3. Valentine’s mother Deanna, grandmother, and sister were present along with four men.  No one from the Kauffman family was present.

The victims of a crime can speak at a parole hearing as to why they believe the prisoner should not be released.  That did not happen in this case. The only other person present was Connie Land, the mother of Sydney Land, one of the victims in the double homicide. Valentine had threatened her daughter on October 8, 2016.  She was not allowed to speak, as the crimes Valentine is incarcerated for were not related to the murders. 

During the parole hearing Valentine was asked by the commissioner how did he change the lives of his victims.  He replied that he tried to put himself in their shoes, saying, I will have to think about that for the rest of my life,” and “I wish I can take it back.” 

Talking about the victims of his crimes Valentine said,They will have to look over their shoulders for the rest of the lives, that’s on me.”  Speaking of his crimes, Valentine said he got greedy and took the easy way out, and blamed drugs and his lifestyle.  “I won’t do it again, I have no excuses,” he said.      

He said he has been a barber and a porter while in prison.  When asked what his plan for parole was, Valentine said he was going to stay at his grandmother’s house and that he was open to doing any victim’s programming as well.  He said he was going to focus on a career if he was paroled. He did not mention what that career would be. “Enjoy life as it goes, that’s what I need,” he said.  “I have a lot of resources out there; my family has businesses.”

Deanna Valentine spoke and stated that her son has done terrible things and that they as a family are ashamed of.  She stated that he really is a good guy, he has a good heart and lost his father at an early age.

As of this date, the Board of Parole has not rendered its decision.  If Valentine does not get paroled this month, his next hearing will not be until next year.

Judge says she threatened Shane Valentine and kicked in his door

As previously reported in several stories, Las Vegas Township Judge Melanie Andress-Tobiasson told the Baltimore Post-Examiner in May of 2018 that she had threatened Shane Valentine through his attorney and later kicked in the door to his residence.   

According to Tobiasson, Valentine attempted to lure her daughter Sarah into prostitution and her repeated requests for help to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Vice Detectives went unheeded.  

“So, I contact Shane Valentine’s attorney, it’s about July now of 2016 and because I know the cops at this point aren’t going to do anything.  I call his attorney and I said, hey you might want to get your client a message that, if he calls my daughter again, I’m going to take care of it myself.  So, he does, he gives him the message. You know, we really don’t want to report that. But I was at the point if this guy is going to continue to mess with my daughter, clearly the police don’t give a shit, they’re not going to protect her,” Tobiasson said during the interview.  

“I was the one who went to Shane Valentine’s house, kicked in the door,” Tobiasson told the Baltimore Post-Examiner. 

Deanna Valentine (Facebook)

Interview with Deanna Valentine, Shane Valentine’s mother   

After leaving the parole board hearing the Baltimore Post-Examiner interviewed Shane Valentine’s mother in the parking lot.  

Poppa: Are you Shane’s mother?  I’m Doug Poppa with the Baltimore Post-Examiner.  Can I talk to you about Judge Tobiasson?

Mrs. Valentine: You talking about that woman judge?

Poppa: Melanie Tobiasson. 

Mrs. Valentine: Somebody told me that she’s the one who kicked in my car.

Poppa: When did you hear that?

Mrs. Valentine: A few months ago, probably about six months ago.  I always wondered why my car was, and they said the judge kicked it in.

Poppa: Where do they think she kicked it in, where was the car?

Mrs. Valentine: I don’t know, I have no idea.  I mean I don’t know when it was or whatever, but I finally like, somebody, she kicked the car and she’s on a mission, she’s on a witch hunt for Shane.  She shouldn’t be anything involved with him because she had a daughter that had some involvement somehow and you know, yeah, so she’s been on a witch hunt for him, she, I, now I’m going to get a lawyer.  You can let her know I’m going to get a lawyer because I’m coming after her right now. No telling what she’s saying because she’s on a mission.

Poppa: Did you read my stories about what she told me about Shane, what the cops told her? 

Mrs. Valentine: No, no.  No telling what she’s saying because she’s just on a mission.

Poppa: She told me that your son, Dominique Thompson and Frankie Zappia are the three people that Metro Homicide told her executed Neo and Sydney.  She also told me that, this was on the record in a recorded interview, that she threatened Shane through his attorney, and I don’t know what attorney it was…

Mrs. Valentine: Bill Terry.

Poppa: Was it Bill Terry?

Mrs. Valentine: Uh huh.

Poppa: …and that she also kicked in the door to his residence, I don’t know where that happened.

Mrs. Valentine: Well she kicked in that and she also kicked in my car.

Poppa: She also told a retired detective also, who spoke to me the other day.  She told him the same thing.

Mrs. Valentine: She should be ashamed, she’s a judge, just a farce, it’s a total farce that this is happening period.  I mean she’s going around like a vigilante.

Poppa: Was it your house that she kicked the door in, whose house was it?

Mrs. Valentine: I don’t know anything about that, I just know that somebody told me that she kicked in my car and I said really, what judge goes around doing this.  I mean this is ridiculous, and she’s already in enough trouble.  

Poppa: Where was Shane living at?

Mrs. Valentine: I don’t know, it’s been three years, so I don’t know, I mean at that time, I mean where he was living at when?  When are you asking?

Poppa: When she kicked in his door?

Mrs. Valentine: Oh, I don’t know.  I have no idea. I don’t know.  I’m going to find all this out. You know, I’ve been staying out of the picture because this whole thing, been really hurtful.  He’s done his time and he was cleared to my knowledge, but now that all this is coming about, I’m going to get my attorney and I’m going to go and get to the bottom of this.

Poppa: Who told you he was cleared?  He was a person of interest in the murders. 

Mrs. Valentine: He was cleared, and I have an article back then that says he has been cleared of this.  There was an article that cleared him of this. So, what she is saying…

Dana Gentry (Nevada Current): Are you Mr. Poppa?

Poppa: Yes.

Gentry: Nice to meet you.

Poppa: How you doing?

Poppa (addressing Mrs. Valentine): I want to ask you a question really quick?  Did anybody from the District Attorney’s Office tell you that he’s not, a person of interest any longer in the murders?

Mrs. Valentine: No. I haven’t talked to anybody.

Poppa: And you haven’t talked to the police?

Mrs. Valentine: No, I haven’t talked to anybody in three years about this. I have not been, anything involved, we’ve been living our lives. We are good honorable citizens and we live our lives, and this is, unfortunately, Shane has done some things and made some mistakes.  He had nothing to do with the murder, period. So, this judge, you know is going around saying, mentioning all these three people, Shane had nothing to do with them. Shane doesn’t even know these other two other people and those are the two people you should be looking at, of what I’ve heard.  The two people you just mentioned.  

Poppa: As far as you know, Shane doesn’t know Dominique Thompson and Frankie Zappia?  

Mrs. Valentine: I’m sure he, I don’t know if he knows them or not, but you know what, those are the names I heard that, but you know what, I’m just going to get an attorney. 

Gentry: Ma’am was your car at home when she kicked it?

Mrs. Valentine: No, I mean I don’t know where it was.  Just like I said, I heard just in the last few months.

Gentry: She kicked your car in, in the last six months?

Mrs. Valentine: No, no, (inaudible) …. that’s what I heard.     

Poppa: Thanks for talking to me ma’am.

Mrs. Valentine: Thank you sir, I appreciate it.  

Dominique “Domo” Thompson, a pimp, is incarcerated in federal prison for a firearms violation.  Frankie Zappia, a convicted prostitute is still on the street. A June 7, 2018 Nevada Current article states that a Metro Police spokesperson identified Frankie Zappia and Dominique Thompson as suspects in the double homicide.

Judge Melanie Andress- Tobiasson hires Shane Valentine’s former attorney 

Deanna Valentine said that Bill Terry was the attorney that Tobiasson had called and made the threat to against Shane Valentine.   

The Las Vegas Review-Journal in November 30, 2016, reported that Valentine was charged with the shooting into the Kauffman residence, and noted that “Attorney Bill Terry who represents Valentine, could not be reached for comment.”

As the Baltimore Post-Examiner reported in several stories Tobiasson is under investigation by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, but as this date, they have not filed a formal statement of charges against Tobiasson.  

The Baltimore Post-Examiner has confirmed through records filed with the Nevada Supreme Court that the attorney representing Tobiasson in that matter is Las Vegas Attorney William Terry.

The Baltimore Post-Examiner contacted William Terry’s law office; he did not return our call.

Shane Valentine’s criminal history

Valentine has a criminal record going back ten years.  He was already a convicted felon prior to shooting into the Kauffman residence and making threats against the lives of Alethea Kauffman, Neo Kauffman and Sydney Land.  When he shot into the residence on October 8, 2016, Alethea Kauffman and several family members were inside the home. Anyone of them could have been struck with a bullet. Shane Valentine is far from a nice guy and apparently did not learn his lesson from the first time he was incarcerated for violent crimes.  

Closing comments 

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has never disputed what Tobiasson told the Baltimore Post-Examiner during our May 2018 interview with her.

Tobiasson, who is not only a sitting judge but also former Clark County Assistant District Attorney, has made some very serious charges involving police corruption and the Land/Kauffman murders.      

Our next article will shed some light on the veracity of Judge Tobiasson as we unveil more evidence that will certainly shake up Metro and Sheriff Joe Lombardo.

Stay tuned Joe. The next installment will make your day.

One thought on “Shane Valentine’s mother calls Las Vegas Judge Melanie Andress-Tobiasson a ‘vigilante’

  • October 12, 2019 at 12:48 AM
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    Wow, you know what a bunch of BS. Judge wouldn’t waste her time on touching Ms. Valentines vehicle. Such non-sense accusations. Not even who she is as a person! I’ve known Judge for close to 30 years and this isn’t something she would even do! Ms. Valentine you are in error. Whoever told you that its just not the case.

    As far as Shane goes at least he acknowledges that he did wrong. He put himself in that position after shooting up Kaufman house and the threats he made which made him suspect. He did that to himself.

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