This episode marks the most recent appearance to date by Shelley Smith, who has been acting since 1979. Howard Keel, acting in films and on television since 1948, Hal England, acting since 1960, and Andreas Katsulas, also acting since 1960, have unfortunately since passed.
Before Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) leaves New York City for her Las Vegas, Nevada, booksellers' convention and vacation, she receives two requests: her apartment building Doorman, Ahmed Shankar (Andrew Brye), requests her to play his twenty dollars on a roulette number, in the hopes of contributing potential winnings to his struggling family back in India, so that his brother may attend Medical school.
While her Publisher, Ted Hartley (Bruce Gray), requests that Jessica share a supportive shoulder to his daughter, Susan Hartley (Amy O'Neill), who left college to serve as a waitress at the hotel which Jessica is planning to stay, while Susan has taken up residence with her fiancé, Eddie Wheaton (Jeff Kaake), who deals at the casino Blackjack tables on the same premises.
Coordinator Alice Baxter (Joan McMurtrey) receives Jessica to the hotel co-owned by Jerry Pappas (Andreas Katsulas) and Wes McSorley (David Soul), whose wife, Katherine McSorley (Shelley Smith), has been trying to drink away the problems of her troubled marriage. Joanna Rollins (Kate Mulgrew), a wealthy guest, attends hotel social functions, such as the lavish party in the penthouse.
Larry Thorson (Howard Keel) heads the hotel and casino security team, along with Frank Stinson (Stephen Macht), who has teamed with Eddie Wheaton to embezzle their employers, by pilfering gaming chips, a fact which Eddie hides from Susan, who tries to get him to open up about his problems.
When Frank frames Eddie to have him discharged from casino employ, Eddie threatens Frank, knocking chips from his attaché in the parking garage, before running from suspected police officers.
One body is later found in that same parking garage, a victim of a shooting, while another is discovered on the sidewalk, a victim of a shoving.
Lieutenant Walt Murphy (Richard Portnow) handles the resulting investigation, with cooperation from Larry Thorson and Jessica, who believes that evidence, such as elevator surveillance tapes, has been tampered with to frame an innocent suspect.
When Jessica returns to the penthouse to investigate the murders, by trying to link them together, the perpetrator follows her to attempt to triplicate "A Killing in Vegas."
The cast is rounded out by Connie Sawyer as Elderly Lady, Wendy Hoffman as Waitress, Lisa Melilli as 2nd Waitress, Jared Snyder as Wolf, Hal England as Bookseller, and Dorian Gregory as Offficer Kimbrough.
Before Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) leaves New York City for her Las Vegas, Nevada, booksellers' convention and vacation, she receives two requests: her apartment building Doorman, Ahmed Shankar (Andrew Brye), requests her to play his twenty dollars on a roulette number, in the hopes of contributing potential winnings to his struggling family back in India, so that his brother may attend Medical school.
While her Publisher, Ted Hartley (Bruce Gray), requests that Jessica share a supportive shoulder to his daughter, Susan Hartley (Amy O'Neill), who left college to serve as a waitress at the hotel which Jessica is planning to stay, while Susan has taken up residence with her fiancé, Eddie Wheaton (Jeff Kaake), who deals at the casino Blackjack tables on the same premises.
Coordinator Alice Baxter (Joan McMurtrey) receives Jessica to the hotel co-owned by Jerry Pappas (Andreas Katsulas) and Wes McSorley (David Soul), whose wife, Katherine McSorley (Shelley Smith), has been trying to drink away the problems of her troubled marriage. Joanna Rollins (Kate Mulgrew), a wealthy guest, attends hotel social functions, such as the lavish party in the penthouse.
Larry Thorson (Howard Keel) heads the hotel and casino security team, along with Frank Stinson (Stephen Macht), who has teamed with Eddie Wheaton to embezzle their employers, by pilfering gaming chips, a fact which Eddie hides from Susan, who tries to get him to open up about his problems.
When Frank frames Eddie to have him discharged from casino employ, Eddie threatens Frank, knocking chips from his attaché in the parking garage, before running from suspected police officers.
One body is later found in that same parking garage, a victim of a shooting, while another is discovered on the sidewalk, a victim of a shoving.
Lieutenant Walt Murphy (Richard Portnow) handles the resulting investigation, with cooperation from Larry Thorson and Jessica, who believes that evidence, such as elevator surveillance tapes, has been tampered with to frame an innocent suspect.
When Jessica returns to the penthouse to investigate the murders, by trying to link them together, the perpetrator follows her to attempt to triplicate "A Killing in Vegas."
The cast is rounded out by Connie Sawyer as Elderly Lady, Wendy Hoffman as Waitress, Lisa Melilli as 2nd Waitress, Jared Snyder as Wolf, Hal England as Bookseller, and Dorian Gregory as Offficer Kimbrough.
