California Youth Pastor Arrested in Las Vegas Man's Death

KTNV
June 6, 2014

http://www.jrn.com/ktnv/news/California-youth-pastor-arrested-in-Las-Vegas-mans-death-262180911.html

A youth pastor from California has been arrested in the death of a Las Vegas man from last year.

Family members confirm police arrested Robert L. Cox on Tuesday. According to police records, Cox is accused in the murder of Link Ellingson, who died in December, 2013 of head injuries from an altercation outside a Las Vegas pub that happened months earlier.

Police records show Cox was visiting Las Vegas on June 13, 2013, with his family and interns as part of a ministry program. The group stopped for food at the Four Kegs Sports Pub on North Jones Boulevard near U.S. 95. The altercation with Ellingson took place in the parking lot afterwards, police wrote.

In police documents, officers said Cox punched the 6'8 Ellingson, who fell and hit his head. The records show Cox later denied throwing any punches.

"The gentleman came outside the bar and immediately started yelling obscenities at Rob and our team and demanding a fight. He wanted a confrontation," said Julie Cox, Robert Cox's wife.

Action News spoke with Julie Cox and Michael Dillman, Robert Cox's father-in-law, via Skype on Friday. Both claim Cox acted in self defense. They claim Ellingson was the aggressor who started shoving interns and then lost his balance after throwing a punch.

"The thought that he could somehow, or that they could somehow, provoke an altercation with a very big man is absurd," said Dillman.

Cox's family said they were surprised by Tuesday's arrest because they believed no charges would be filed.

Meanwhile, Ellingson's family is still struggling to heal from his loss.

"I've never had such heartbreak that I had that day," said Jayna Hardy, Ellingson's niece.

Hardy described Ellingson as a gentle giant. She keeps a series of pictures of his final moments.

"They're definitely pictures I don't want to keep in my head," said Hardy. "He couldn't swallow anymore. He couldn't tell me he loved me."

Hardy said she wasn't at the pub the night of the incident. The family placed confidence in investigators to pursue the case.

"I was so fortunate to have such an awesome guy in my life," Hardy said.

According to police documents, the coroner listed Ellingson's death as a homicide.

There's no word on what prompted police to act roughly six months after Ellingson's death. An assistant said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was not available Friday to talk about the case.

Cox's family said they are working to post bail and raise money in his defense.