Las Vegas Man Denies Being a Killer After Body Parts Are Found in Car He Acknowledged Stealing, Police Say

A Nevada man has been charged with murder after police say a severed head and other body parts were discovered in a vehicle he acknowledged stealing, authorities said.

Eric Holland, 57, led Las Vegas police on a chase after they tried to pull him over for a suspended registration, officers said. Holland pulled into a parking lot and got into a gold truck and sped off, authorities said. He was eventually stopped at an apartment complex and arrested, police said.

During a search of the truck, police said they found a "foul-smelling" plastic bag containing a human head, as well as coolers containing two human legs and what appeared to be a human torso, authorities said. 

An autopsy determined the cause of death was multiple gun shots, and the remains were identified as belong to Richard Miller, 65, of Las Vegas. 

Holland was denied bail at a hearing last week. His public defender, David Westbrook, told reporters his client had no knowledge of what was inside the vehicle he stole, and intends to plead not guilty.

"In order to believe he had knowledge of what was in the vehicle, you would have to believe he intentionally led police to the body,” he said. “Why would he do that?”

Holland's next scheduled court appearance is a Jan. 27 preliminary hearing.

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