“They’re gonna try to do it through a woman ... or they’re gonna try to drug me.” - "Buffalo Jim" Barrier
Life, Death and Aftermath of
"Buffalo Jim" Barrier
July 1, 2007, Buffalo Jim celebrates the closing of Crazy Horse Too Strip Club.
Life, Death and Aftermath of
"Buffalo Jim" Barrier
1971 - Buffalo Jim Barrier moves from Cleveland, Ohio to Las Vegas, Nevada. 27
Early 1980’s - Opens Allstate Auto & Marine, on Industrial Road, west of the Las Vegas Strip. 27
1984 - Crazy Horse Too began operating under the management of Frederick “Rick” Rizzolo. 28
1990’s - Buffalo Jim and Rick Rizzolo feud begins.
Buffalo Jim Barrier outside his auto repair shop in Las Vegas called Allstate Auto-Marine Repair, known simply as “Auto and Marine.” [Photo: Las Vegas Review-Journal]
One of Buffalo Jim’s closest friends, WWF wrestler, Johny “Psycho” Paine, was a frequent visitor to his auto shop, renowned locally for its wrestling memorabilia.
2005 - Buffalo Jim begins receiving letters from a supposed insider that would state information regarding the Crazy Horse Too and notorious figures in Las Vegas at the time. Buffalo would spread these letters around to family, friends, and his attorney, Gus Flangas. Letters would continue to be sent intermittently up to the day before Buffalo’s death and eventually transitioned from merely presenting inside information about Rizzolo to a plot that was being put in place to end Buffalo’s life. 9, 26
2006 - The Crazy Horse Too is raided by the FBI. For years, Buffalo Jim had been documenting wrong-doings he witnessed in the Crazy Horse Too parking lot and its front entrance. Buffalo would forward pertinent information (including photographs) to the local FBI office. 3
An elated Buffalo Jim poses in front of the Crazy Horse Too. On August 30, 2007, the U.S. Marshalls seized Rick Rizzolo’s infamous club. [Photo: stevemiller4lasvegas.com]
Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo leaves the Lloyd George US Courthouse after pleading guilty to tax evasion agreeing to sell his club in 2006. Following Rizzolo was his sworn foe, James “Buffalo Jim” Barrier, who would die two years later. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
2007 - Rick Rizzolo pleads guilty to tax evasion and goes to prison. 1
Easter Weekend 2008 (Two weeks prior to Buffalo Jim’s death) - A break-in takes place at Buffalo Jim’s auto body shop. 7
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Buffalo alerted many people, including reporters at the Las Vegas Review Journal about the break-in. 5,7
Friday, April 4, 2008
Anonymous Warning Letter Regarding Surveillance, Threats, and Business Sabotage
"The Unsolved Mystery Behind The Death Of Buffalo Jim Barrier, The ‘Most Colorful Character’ In Las Vegas." - All That's Interesting, published October 22, 2022
Though James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier's 2008 death was declared accidental and likely related to cocaine use, his family is convinced that he was murdered by his enemies. https://allthatsinteresting.com/buffalo-jim-barrier
Buffalo Jim can be seen checking into Motel 6 on Boulder Highway on a four-minute surveillance video from the motel’s lobby. A credit card receipt in Barrier’s name confirms this time. [Source: Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix].
This file photo shows the Motel 6 on Boulder Highway. The body of James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier was found in Room 105 at the motel in April 2008. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Saturday, April 5, 2008
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At 7:20 pm, Buffalo Jim leaves his house at 435 Los Feliz Street, Las Vegas, NV 89110. 6
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Tells his youngest daughter that he was meeting a friend and would be back by midnight. 6
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According to Lisa’s voluntary statement to Metro police, Buffalo heads to pick her up at the Chevron gas station on Rancho Drive and Charleston Boulevard. 26
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At 8:15 pm, the Motel 6 key card log states that Room 105 was accessed. 26
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According to surveillance camera time stamps and a receipt, at 8:22 pm, Buffalo Jim checks into the Motel 6 at 4125 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas, NV 89121 and gets Room 105 for two. 26
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Medical examiner, Lary Simms, who performed Buffalo's autopsy, states that Buffalo Jim passed away shortly after checking into his room. 9
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The woman named “Lisa” that was with Buffalo Jim stated that she left the room when he went to the bathroom, then changed her statement with her having left the room after Buffalo had a seizure. 18,26
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Not long after she left, Lisa called Buffalo’s cell phone, leaving a message asking if he was “okay.” Lisa never called paramedics although she told detectives Buffalo “was a friend.” 15, 26
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This mysterious silver phone was not listed in the LVMPD’s reported evidence list, and it wasn’t given to the family with the rest of Buffalo Jim’s belongings. His family does not know whose phone is in the photograph, where it came from, or what happened to it.
Buffalo Jim’s wallet, ID, and a single dollar bill were found by police on the unoccupied bed next to his body. Family and friends believe that the lone dollar bill is a sign that this was a mob hit.
Buffalo Jim was confirmed to have checked in with a valid driver’s license. The license is no longer found on his person and is considered missing at this time.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
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After Buffalo Jim's body had been found by a maid, authorities were called at 1:30 pm and arrived at Room 105 around 2:30 pm. 8
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Buffalo Jim was pronounced dead at 2:30 pm by a Coroner Investigator. 3, 8
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Shortly after Buffalo was pronounced dead, his two youngest daughters were called and asked to come to Motel 6 to identify the body. 3,26
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Upon arriving, Buffalo’s daughters were unable to locate his vehicle, a Rolls Royce. 8
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Not long after the daughters left the Motel 6, the Rolls Royce was visibly found in the front parking lot near the front office. 10
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Officials, while awaiting autopsy and toxicology reports to be conducted, state that Buffalo died of “natural causes.” 3
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The Coroner’s office and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department performed their investigation under the belief that there was no foul play. 4
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The room was clean with no signs of a struggle. 14
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An expired pill bottle with several valium pills was located on the nightstand, however, no valiums were found in Buffalo’s stomach during the autopsy or listed in the toxicology report. 12
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It was reported that there were two cups of water next to the bed. 15
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Authorities never confirmed whether they had found signs of cocaine use in Buffalo’s vehicle or motel room, even after the statements about cocaine in Buffalo’s system had been reported. 26
According to the Coroner’s report, Buffalo Jim Barrier died of cardiac arrest due to cocaine use. However, while cocaine was found in his system, no traces of cocaine were found in the motel room he was found in. The “white substance” on his beard and shirt were assumed to be cocaine by the police, but the medical examiner stated that it was never tested to verify it was cocaine.
The lab report dated May 8, 2008, explicitly states that “additional testing is required.” Despite this, an individual with the initials “CS” canceled the request, effectively preventing any further analysis that could have revealed more critical information.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
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Buffalo’s family meets with the Clark County Coroner and Medical Examiner. 9
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No drugs were reported to be found in Buffalo’s stomach and the preliminary report states there was no heart attack. 9
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Family hired a private pathologist (Dr. Rexene Worrell) to perform an independent autopsy of Barrier’s body before the funeral on Saturday, April 12, 2008. 9
Barrier’s daughter, Jennifer, was promised by Detective Mark Harding of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department that a hair sample would be taken from Buffalo Jim Barrier’s body to test if Barrier had been doing drugs within the past several months prior to his death and that retrieval of the sample would take place before the funeral.
One week later, Jennifer checked with Detective Harding regarding the status of the hair sample and he stated to her that no sample was taken and he did not receive permission from the Clark County Coroner’s office to do so.
Dr. Worrell’s report was submitted to the Clark County Coroner and Medical Examiner, but it was not presented to Buffalo’s family. 26
Citing bizarre twists surrounding the death of their father, James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier, the iconic auto mechanic's daughters said Tuesday they plan to hire a private investigator.
Throngs of mourners from a cross-section of James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier's life paid respect to the colorful, bushy-bearded auto mechanic Saturday, sharing stories and vowing to solve the mystery surrounding his death.
Saturday, 12 April 2008
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Funeral for Buffalo Jim Barrier. 10
Thursday, April 17, 2008
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Police spokesman, Captain Randy Montandon, states that he has viewed the surveillance footage of Buffalo Jim from the night he checked in and he “looked to be in good spirits.” 15
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
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Clark County Coroner’s office reports that Buffalo Jim died of dilated cardiomyopathy brought about by cocaine use. 17, 18
Explanation of the difference from the preliminary report is explained by the Las Vegas Review Journal as:
“Simms’ preliminary report indicated there were no signs of a heart attack, fueling the family’s belief that Barrier died under suspicious circumstances..Murphy said that when an individual dies from a heart attack, the heart muscle is dead...Barrier had no dead muscles but had heart disease. In medical terms, he died from a heart disease combined with cocaine use, Murphy said, clarifying Simms’ findings.” 17
Thursday, June 26, 2008
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Clark County Coroner’s office states that while there was GHB reported in Buffalo’s system, it was below the normal limit in people. 19
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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Clark County Coroner states that they will not exhume the body of Buffalo in order to conduct a hair analysis. 21
As of today, Buffalo Jim’s body has not been exhumed to perform the test and definitively prove whether he had been an avid drug user before his death.