Vegas Tree Chopper Sought Better View of Strip

A retiree convicted of killing 500 trees in a Las Vegas suburb was trying to better his view of the famous Strip, the Los Angeles Times reports. Douglas Hoffman, 60, was found guilty last month of felling $250,000 worth of mesquite and other trees over the course of a year, and he could face 35 years in prison.

The amateur landscaper had complained about the growing trees from a new retirement community that sat between his home and the legendary Sin City skyline. With little success in above-board channels, Hoffman took to midnight excursions—and was eventually caught saw-handed. The so-called "arborcide" has caught the attention of booming Clark County, home to some of the world's most opulent casinos. (More trees stories.)