Homeless man Joseph Hyde sentenced in strip death

Joseph Hyde (Photo: LVMPD)

Joseph Hyde sentenced for murder of Michael Burtosky

LAS VEGAS — Joseph Hyde was sentenced to 12 to 30 months for the murder of Michael Burtosky.

On Sept. 14, 2013, Hyde and Burtosky were engaged in a fight on the bridge connecting the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and New York-New York Hotel & Casino.

During the fight Burtosky fell and hit his dead. He was transported to UMC where he died three days later.

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The medical examiner ruled that the cause of his death was blunt force trauma and Hyde was charged with murder.

The two men, both homeless, had argued with each other in the past and a witness said that Hyde threatened to throw Burtosky off the bridge.

Hyde was not arrested until Nov. 5 because he had fled the state.

The Hyde case was similar in nature to the case of Benjamin Hawkins. That case occurred in July 2011, at O’Sheas casino when Hawkins, a football coach, punched  John Massie of Utah. Massie fell, hit his head and died.

Key differences were that Hawkins was was being harassed by Massie, he did not flee the scene and he was not homeless

In February as part of the commonplace and some might say de rigueur plea deals that take place within the Las Vegas courts, Joseph Hyde was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter and the murder charge was dropped.

On April 7, he was sentenced to  a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 30 months with credit for 172 days time served.

Benjamin Hawkins received a 90 day sentence and 5 years of probation.

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