Grieving widow Jennifer Jacoby is suing the owners of the Venetian and Palazzo hotels in Las Vegas following the passing of her husband, Jeffrey Jacoby, during a work trip in March 2023.
The lawsuit, filed for wrongful death, alleges that the 55-year-old Colorado resident lost his life from a fentanyl ov**dose after being dru**ed and subsequently robbed by a s*x worker and her procurer, Kashon Glass.
The paper details how Jeff met the call girl, Cheylee Kessee, at the establishment’s bar at around 1 am. The pair then walked for nearly forty minutes before heading to a cashier, where Jeff withdrew $1,000.
Jeff and Kessee then made their way to his hotel room, with Glass following them from a distance and keeping in contact with the s*x worker via text messages. Just eight minutes later, the woman left the room, leaving the husband “slumped on the bathroom floor.”
The widow of a man who passed away from a fenta**l overd**e at a hotel while meeting with a h**ker is suing the Las Vegas establishment
Image credits: Jenny Pillsbury Jacoby
Jennifer, who described her late husband as her “soulmate” and “twin flame” in his obituary, is now seeking justice through a lawsuit against the Palazzo’s owners, Venetian Casino Resort LLC.
The lawsuit claims that the hotel’s security staff should have alerted Jeff to the fact that he was being followed by Glass, as both Kessee and Glass had a history of “targeting hotel guests to rob and victimize them.”
The suit alleges that casino operators were aware of their activities but failed to take proper action to protect guests like Jeff.
Image credits: Horan & McConaty Funeral Service and Cremation
Ben Edwards, a Law professor at the University of Nevada, commented on the case, believing it to have some merit on the grounds of the casino’s potential negligence.
Image credits: Wikimedia
“Anytime you invite somebody onto your property, you have an obligation to make sure the place is safe,” he stated, explaining that the lawsuit ultimately hinges on whether the hotel failed to prevent known dangers.
“The kinds of dangers you have to protect against are real dangers you know about. You have to try to prevent known dangers. The question the court will figure out is whether it was unreasonable for the casino to not monitor, or not communicate, for this sort of thing.”
The lawsuit comes two years after the culprits confessed to voluntary manslaughter and robbery
Image credits: Cheylee Kessee
Shortly after Jeff’s body was discovered, Kessee and Glass were apprehended and charged with m*rder.
The pair was accused of supplying a lethal dose of fenta*yl, a potent synthetic opioid dr*g that is stated by experts to be “100 times” stronger than m*rphine and “50 times” more intense than her*in.
Image credits: Cheylee Kessee
The culprits then struck a plea deal by admitting to voluntary manslaughter and robbery.
Glass was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 20 years, while Kessee received a shorter, 20-year sentence with the possibility of parole after serving 8 years.
Image credits: Cheylee Kessee
A ceremony was held in honor of Jeff Jacoby’s life at the Mission Hills Church in Colorado on March 13, 2023.
His obituary described him as a caring father whose great joy in life was raising his three daughters. “He was there for every moment and milestone, cheering his girls on daily.”
Image credits: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
“His wife, Jenny, was the greatest love of his life aside from the Lord. They loved to spend time drinking coffee and sitting out on the back porch in the morning sun together, going to church on Sunday mornings.”
The lawsuit does not specify the amount Jennifer is seeking in damages from the Palazzo’s owners, but her family hopes to hold the hotel accountable for the circumstances that led to Jeff’s death.
According to experts, the claim’s success hinges on proving that the hotel was aware of the danger that befell the victim
Image credits: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
“In Nevada, all types of property owners are legally obligated to keep their premises reasonably safe,” wrote Robert W. Cottle, former Trial Lawyer of Nevada, on his website.
“For hotels, casinos, and other types of commercial properties, this legal obligation includes strong security measures.”
Image credits: Jenny Pillsbury Jacoby
Cottle explained that injuries happening as a result of a failure to meet these standards fall under a concept known as “premises liability.”
To establish a successful liability claim, it’s crucial to prove that the defendant “either caused, was aware of, or should have been aware of the dangerous condition.”
Image credits: Jenny Pillsbury Jacoby
Another important concept is "foreseeability," which comes into play when a property has a history of guests being victimized by violent crime.
“Ownership has a legal duty to put security measures in place to reduce the risk of further violent crimes,” Cottle added.
"No accountability." Netizens sympathized with the widow's claim but argued that the husband was ultimately responsible
