Updated: Oct 14, 2010 11:34 PM PDT
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Son of 86-year-old raped, murdered stunned over cold case solve
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Metro releases details about 1998 cold case arrest
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Metro makes arrest in two 1998 cold cases



Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) – It was a random and heinous set of murders that put the elderly community on guard in the late 1990's.

The bodies of two friends were found just one day apart inside separate units at an assisted living community. Leads soon ran dry, and the May of 1998 murders near Spencer and Rochelle went unsolved.

Police say the killer crept in through a 75-year-old's window and bludgeoned the elderly man to death. He then broke into another unit down the hall, allegedly raping and stabbing an 86-year-old woman to death.

The son of that 86-year-old says he thought his mother's murderer would never be caught. Mark Sabraw made the chilling discovery himself after he hadn't heard from his mother Helen. He still vividly remembers what he saw once he put the key in her door.

"It was gruesome, absolutely gruesome, a major pool of blood all over the place, my mother's body punctured all over the place. That's never going to go away," said Mark Sabraw, son of Helen Sabraw.

On Wednesday, Mark made contact with a detective who finally brought an ounce of hope.

"He says, I think we'll have some news today. Four hours later, he called me and said they had made an arrest," said Mark Sabraw. "I'm glad they caught my mother's murderer. Can you imagine? Have you taken a look at this guy? He raped my mother, raped her."

Detectives allege that suspect Gustavo Ramos-Martinez continued to commit crimes, and that the illegal immigrant has a federal record as well as his DNA filed in a national database.

"He does have quite a criminal history, a violent criminal history," Sergeant Jon Scott, Supervisor of Metro's Cold Case Detail.

If it wasn't for that DNA, investigators say the slaying of Helen Sabraw and Wallace Siegel could've possibly forever remained a mystery.

Action News also spoke with a daughter-in-law of Wallace Siegel over the telephone. She called it "amazing" that detectives were able to solve this cold case after 12 long years. She believes Gustavo-Ramos had to "be on drugs" to allegedly commit such despicable acts on such vulnerable victims.

According to police documents, Gustavo-Ramos has denied any knowledge of these killings, as well as the sexual assault. Police add that he has been deported time and time again but, with family here locally, kept returning to Las Vegas.

The son who is still holding on to fond memories of his late mother says the punishment should fit the crime.

"Death penalty, no question about it. Two murders in one night, is that enough for society?," Mark Sabraw asked. "It doesn't matter where he's from or who he is. It's a heinous crime. It's a totally heinous crime."

Ramos-Martinez was arrested in Las Vegas, where police assure that public that he will stand trial. He faces two counts of murder, two counts of burglary, robbery with a deadly weapon and sexual assault with a deadly weapon.

Stay with Action News.


There are pictures and video at the link below:

http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13327004



Kathyet