Suspect in 20-Year-Old Arizona Murder Case Extradited from Mexico, Arrested: Police
An arrest has been made in a 20-year-old cold case from Arizona by authorities who spent years trying to extradite the suspect from Mexico, police said.
The accused, Sergio Francisco Reyes, was arrested on July 10 for the 2004 murder of 15-year-old Elena Lasswell in Phoenix, Fox reported.
"On July 10, 2024, exactly 20 years after the horrific murder of then 15-year-old Elena Lasswell, detectives with the Phoenix Police Department's cold case unit have arrested and booked 37-year-old Sergio Reyes for multiple violent felonies including sexual assault and 1st Degree murder," Sgt. Brian Bower of the PPD Public Affairs Bureau said in a statement, Fox reported.
In July 2004, Elena Laswell's body was discovered by her brother in her home in the Encanto neighborhood, Phoenix, near 23rd Avenue and Thomas Road, the Arizona Republic reported.
Police were called into the house to help Elena Laswell, Fox reported. "Emergency lifesaving measures were attempted but Lasswell did not survive her injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene," police said.
The case was given to the homicide unit and later presented to Silent Witness, in hopes of getting community support to get leads, Fox reported.
Investigators noted that there were injuries on the victim's face, but did not believe that those caused her death, the Arizona Republic reported.
For years, there was no breakthrough in the case, Fox reported. In 2012, authorities used DNA collection techniques to get leads. The DNA evidence from the crime was processed and matched with Reyes.
In 2014, Reyes was indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury, while he was living in Mexico, Fox reported. U.S. Marshals Service helped authorities locate and extradite Reyes from Mexico so that he could be arrested and go through the proceedings. In 2024, officials brought Reyes into the USA.
Lasswell's aunt cannot believe that an arrest has been made after so many years, Fox reported. "Knowing that someone is being held responsible feels awesome," Katie Tourville, the victim's aunt said. "It's been a long haul, and thank God for Phoenix PD. They have been absolutely amazing. I just really felt that they were on the right trail and that they would get it. I just didn't know when."
The victim's father was surprised by the arrest, the Arizona Republic reported. "It brings back a lot of bad memories from 20 years ago, but we were amazed that after all this time that this (arrest) would happen," said Steve Laswell, Elena Lasswell's father.
Jail records show that the suspect's bond has been set at $1.5 million, CBS News reported. He has been charged with murder in the 1st degree during a crime, sexual assault, murder in the 1st degree – premeditated, burglary in the 2nd degree, and kidnapping.