LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A man accused of killing his girlfriend tried to hire a hitman in jail to kill four potential witnesses, Las Vegas Metro police said. Two of the alleged targets are children, detectives stated in an arrest report obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators.
Philip O’Reilly, 37, was previously indicted for murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Cherllyn Beardall.
O’Reilly killed the 34-year-old mother between June 20, 2020, and July 23, 2020, by beating her with his hands and a dog leash, according to a grand jury indictment.
Police began investigating O’Reilly’s alleged murder-for-hire plot in early March after an inmate at the Clark County Detention Center said that O’Reilly solicited him to kill four people. O’Reilly told him that “he needed the witnesses to disappear to beat his current charges” and provided a hand-drawn map of the home where his targets live, according to the arrest report.
O’Reilly later offered $20,000 for the four killings at $5,000 per “head,” he provided information about where both adults worked, and advised to commit the murders at night when all four individuals would be home, detectives wrote.
Police obtained an audio recording of O’Reilly. According to the arrest report, O’Reilly described a timeline of when he wanted the murders done and he is heard saying that he paid someone else to commit the murders, but they stole his money.
The inmate asked O’Reilly, “Are you sure this is what you want?” O’Reilly is heard on the audio recording replying, “100,000%,” according to detectives.
When detectives asked O’Reilly about making threats on March 16, he replied “No, I don’t wanna say anything without an attorney present, but no I wasn’t making threats to anyone,” according to the arrest report.
That same day, detectives notified the two alleged adult victims that O’Reilly was plotting to kill them and the two children, police said. All four targets are Beardall’s family members.
O’Reilly faces four counts to solicit to commit murder as a result of the latest allegations.
Negotiations appeared to be underway Monday as O’Reilly’s defense attorney may be trying to work out a deal with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation was initially a missing person’s case originating in Henderson. Beardall’s last known contact was July 20, 2020. Her vehicle was located a few months later but she wasn’t found.
O’Reilly is facing additional charges including sex crimes against children and child abuse. Police said that Beardall’s two children witnessed and heard the beating. Her 14-year-old daughter was forced to babysit children in a nearby room to where her mother was beaten. Beardall’s 11-year-old son was asked to bring O’Reilly the dog leash used to beat his mother. O’Reilly later asked him to take ice packs to his mother after the beating, the indictment stated.
Beardall’s body has never been located.
O’Reilly is expected back in court on May 6. The 8 News Now Investigators requested an interview, but he declined.
