The bomb was left on the second floor of Harvey's.<br />The private office area was down the hall from<br /> the hotel buffet and public restrooms.

The bomb was left on the second floor of Harvey's.

The private office area was down the hall from

the hotel buffet and public restrooms.


The upper box of the bomb had 28 toggle switches.<br />The accompanying extortion note promised that instructions would be given to disarm it for $3 million.

The upper box of the bomb had 28 toggle switches.

The accompanying extortion note promised that instructions would be given to disarm it for $3 million.


The base of the bomb was leveled on wood blocks.<br />Mercury switches and other triggering mechanisms<br /> would detonate the bomb if it were moved or tilted.

The base of the bomb was leveled on wood blocks.

Mercury switches and other triggering mechanisms

would detonate the bomb if it were moved or tilted.


deputies dusted the bomb for fingerprints.<br />The Douglas County Sheriff's Office also collected other forensic evidence before attempts were made to disarm it.

deputies dusted the bomb for fingerprints.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office also collected other forensic evidence before attempts were made to disarm it.


Birges jammed nearby doors with toothpicks.<br />He did not want any hotel guests or employees entering<br /> the hallway and accidentally triggering the device.

Birges jammed nearby doors with toothpicks.

He did not want any hotel guests or employees entering

the hallway and accidentally triggering the device.


Ice House Road was the planned ransom drop site.<br />Birges intended to meet a helicopter carrying $3 million<br /> in The mountainous area north of U.S. Highway 50.

Ice House Road was the planned ransom drop site.

Birges intended to meet a helicopter carrying $3 million

in The mountainous area north of U.S. Highway 50.


The area around Harvey's was evacuated. <br />Harrah's Casino can be seen across<br /> U.S. Highway 50 on the left.

The area around Harvey's was evacuated.

Harrah's Casino can be seen across

U.S. Highway 50 on the left.


attempts to disarm the bomb were unsuccessful.<br />Bomb experts tried to blast the top triggering device off with a shaped charge, but it detonated the explosives.

attempts to disarm the bomb were unsuccessful.

Bomb experts tried to blast the top triggering device off with a shaped charge, but it detonated the explosives.


The bomb blew a five-story hole in the hotel.<br />Five years later, a parking garage would replace the<br /> open parking lot between Harvey's and the Sahara Tahoe.

The bomb blew a five-story hole in the hotel.

Five years later, a parking garage would replace the

open parking lot between Harvey's and the Sahara Tahoe.


debris is seen in front of the Valet Parking area.<br />Slot machines are seen through the shattered windows<br /> of the casino's first floor along U.S. Highway 50.

debris is seen in front of the Valet Parking area.

Slot machines are seen through the shattered windows

of the casino's first floor along U.S. Highway 50.


Emergency workers stand along U.S. Highway 50.<br />The first floor of the casino extends over the <br />valet parking entrance on the bottom floor.

Emergency workers stand along U.S. Highway 50.

The first floor of the casino extends over the

valet parking entrance on the bottom floor.


Investigators enter the Valet parking area.<br />The covered lobby entrance on the right was where the bomb was first rolled into the Hotel on August 26, 1980.

Investigators enter the Valet parking area.

The covered lobby entrance on the right was where the bomb was first rolled into the Hotel on August 26, 1980.


Highway 50 was closed in the Stateline area.<br />Neighboring Casinos in 1980 included, clockwise from left, The Sahara Tahoe, Caesars Tahoe, Barney's, and Harrah's.

Highway 50 was closed in the Stateline area.

Neighboring Casinos in 1980 included, clockwise from left, The Sahara Tahoe, Caesars Tahoe, Barney's, and Harrah's.


Terry Hall Registered in a motel with a fake name.<br />The Motel manager wrote down the license plate number of the white dodge van Hall was in with Birges and Brown.

Terry Hall Registered in a motel with a fake name.

The Motel manager wrote down the license plate number of the white dodge van Hall was in with Birges and Brown.


The van at the motel was traced to John Birges.<br />The California License plate matched the van seen by a South Lake Tahoe motel manager the morning before the bombing.

The van at the motel was traced to John Birges.

The California License plate matched the van seen by a South Lake Tahoe motel manager the morning before the bombing.


The Bomb


The mastermind of the extortion plot, John Birges, and his hired henchmen, Willis "Bill" Brown and Terry Lee Hall, delivered his home-made, 1,000-pound bomb to Harvey's Resort Hotel on the morning of June 26, 1980.  Disguised as an IBM copy machine, the device was rolled across the hotel lobby, up the elevator, and down a corridor in the second-floor office area.