Philip Panzica made national news for having an encounter with a stranger on the High Roller on his wedding day.
Philip Panzica, the man who made national news last month for having carnal relations on a Las Vegas Ferris wheel, was killed in a carjacking over the weekend. Panzica was killed outside a strip club by a pair of carjackers, who shot him several times. The murderers later were arrested.
The murder does not appear to have any connection to Philip Panzica’s arrest in Las Vegas, though the Houston Police Department is still collecting evidence in the case.
High Roller Ferris Wheel
In February 2016, Philip Panzica was caught on the High Roller Ferris wheel on the Las Vegas Strip. The High Roller is the world’s largest Ferris wheel and a tourist attraction in Las Vegas. The Ferris wheel was built by Caesar’s Entertainment as a draw to their Las Vegas casino-resort, The Linq.
The 27-year old Philip Panzica was in Las Vegas with his fiance, Mistie Bozant, but it was not his fiance with whom he was having physical relations with on the High Rollers. Instead, he was caught with a stranger he met in Las Vegas on the same day he was supposed to get married to another woman.
When the arrest happened, it made national news, due to the basic crassness of the incident. The High Roller Ferris wheel incident was played up on social media, perhaps fueling the story.
Bennair Bateman on a Plea Bargain
Bennair Bateman, who was serving as Panzica’s attorney, said his client planned on taking a plea bargain in the High Roller case. Bateman said the plea, which was set for April 25, would have reduced a felony sex charge to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
The Murder of Philip Panzica
This weekend, Philip Panzica was escorting his fiance from a Houston strip club when the two of them were carjacked in the fiance’s Black Kia. Panzica’s fiance worked at the strip club, so he was taking her home after a shift. When the two got in his fiance’s car, two men were in the backseat.
One of the two men shoot Panzica several times. The fiance claimed she heard Bryan Watts say, “You need to come clean,” and then shot the victim when he did not give the answer Watts wanted.
At that point, the two men told the fiance to get out of the car, and they took off in the stolen vehicle. The two mem alleged to have been involved in the murder, Bryant Watts and Arron Jones, were arrested later. They are being charged with capital murder.
Suspects Arrested in Menard County
The Houston Police Department said both suspects later were arrested in Menard County. The HPD said Watts admitted responsibility for the shooting and the robbery when he was arrested. Both Watts and Jones had a “large amount” of money in their possession. Both were booked into the Menard County jail, which is where they remain.
It is unknown if Philip Panzica’s fiance at the time of his murder was the same woman he was in Las Vegas with last month. Bennair Bateman directed readers to a Go Fund Me page ostensibly for Philip Panzica’s family, but the comments on that page throw into doubt whether it is set up for Philip’s 3-year old son or not. Comments on the page indicate the fiance from February 2016 is not the same person as the fiance from March 2016.
Chloe Scordianos Interviewed by NY Daily News
Chloe Scordianos, 21, the woman who was caught with Panzica on the Ferris wheel, had no information on the case. She had not spoken with her one-time beau since their arrest. Scordianos, a mother of one from Long Island, said the arrest was a bit too much drama for her, so she never even added Panzica as a Facebook friend.
Saying she had only heard about the murder an hour before they called, Ms. Scordianos told the New York Daily News, “I haven’t spoken a word with him. I didn’t even add him on Facebook.”
On the Las Vegas Incident
Chloe Scordianos said, “There was so much drama, I usually just try to keep drama out of my life. It’s funny how that just comes to me. It just really creeps me out.”
She told the Daily News she had only met Philip Panzica shortly before the fateful Ferris wheel ride. She added, “I didn’t know him, but no one that I’ve ever been with has died before. It’s not usual for me. It was just my 21st birthday and I was just having a good time.“
