Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
The upcoming episode of Sin City Murders, titled “Death in a Casino Stairwell,” will air on Oxygen on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET. It will explore the murder of Donald Idiens by Greg Chao. The synopsis of the episode reads, “An expert poker player is found beaten to death in an Imperial Palace stairwell, leading detectives to investigate a mysterious phone call and hours of surveillance footage; hotel staff help police crack the case and track down a killer.”
Greg Chao was 41 years old when the court found him guilty of first-degree murder and robbery using a deadly weapon in 2007. The conviction was in relation to the 1997 killing of Donald Idiens, a passionate gambler and real estate developer. On December 8, 1997, Donald Idiens was at the Mirage Hotel casino, where he left behind coins worth $822 and disappeared suddenly. His friends then reported him missing. As per Times Colonist, his body was found by the staff at the Imperial Palace, another hotel in the vicinity of Las Vegas.
Donald Idiens was found partially naked, wearing only his socks and underwear. He was battered brutally, and the cause of death was a blow to the head. His body was discovered on a stairwell on the 17th floor. It was near the room where Greg Chao was during his stay in Las Vegas. The killer had also tied a plastic bag around the victim’s head, according to a report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
When one of the employees at the Imperial Palace reported suspicious activity in Chao’s room, the police investigated. Authorities found Donald Idiens’ blood in the room and charged Chao with the murder.
Why did Greg Chao kill Donald Idiens?
CNN reported that Greg Chao claimed to be a professional gambler. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Chao met Donald Idiens at the Mirage Hotel casino for the very first time. Then, he borrowed $1000 from Idiens during his trip to Las Vegas. He allegedly planned to make enough money to pay back all the loan sharks he owed money to in Canada.
Later, Greg Chao reportedly invited Donald Idiens to his hotel room. As soon as he received the invitation over a phone call, Idiens headed over. Chao then asked Idiens for more money. However, when Idiens refused, he killed him. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that in 2007, after Chao was found guilty of killing Idiens, he was sentenced to life in prison without an opportunity for parole.
Charges of extortion were not new to Greg Chao. An investigation revealed that John Wolfe, a Canadian car dealership owner, had been threatened by Chao for $50,000. Chao demanded the money to repay debts. He also threatened Wolfe that he would harm his daughters, aged 7 and 9, if he refused. Owing to his gambling debts, Chao was also convicted of two thefts in 1996. At the time when he was charged with Donald Idiens’ murder, Chao was in Canada. The Las Vegas Sun reported that he was on probation, which compelled two officers to go to Canada to interrogate Chao.
The Sin City Murders episode, “Death in a Casino Stairwell,” will air on Oxygen on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET.
