COLD CASE ARREST CULMINATES DECADES OF WORK IN HOMICIDE CASE

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the Cold Cases Solved Podcast, a podcast that shares the most recent
solved cold cases. Our purpose isto help bring closure to the victims' families
and hope for those waiting for justice. Let's begin. Somebody has been arrested.

(00:22):
The alleged killer has been taken intocustody for a fifteen year old girl
that was murdered twenty years ago,the Elena last Well murder case took a
step forward this week. Detective RominickRustenberg, who was lead detective on the
case, is no longer haunted wonderingif his suspect will have to answer to
the crimes. Rostenberg has been determinedto find justice for last One and her

(00:44):
family since taking over the murder casea few years back. He says when
he got involved, there was anotherdetective in the cold case and he had
been working the case as well.Sergio Rayes was a lead suspect when the
case began, but detectives didn't haveenough to indict him. Rastenburg, however,
it says collection of evidence that theinitial crime scene was crucial they did
in two thousand and four really helpedto point where they are now. There
was some damage to the room.It looked like some type of struggle had

(01:04):
taken place inside the room. Thewindow was open, so they feel that
the perpetrator probably left through that window. Thinking outside the box, they were
able to locate a family member ofSergio who voluntarily collected their DNA per consent
and were able to compare the familymembers DNA to the DNA at the scene.
Then came the challenge, of course, because Sergio was gone. He
was in Mexico, so now theyhad to get him extradited. Rosenberg's in

(01:27):
the US Marshals from the Phoenix FieldOffice helped him bring him back to Arizona.
To identify and locate and apprehend somebodyin another country presents a lot of
challenges, folks. July tenth,exactly twenty years to the day, it
was a couple of days ago Lenawas killed. Rosenberg was able to share
that news of justice with her lovedones. It was a tremendous amount of

(01:51):
gratefulness. Again, another closure thatthey never had. Reyes is currently being
held in a one point five minismillion dollar cash bond. Rostenberg said many
suspects do flee to other countries,and he encourages people who may have information
in those cases to come forward throughthe Silent Witness program, and he gives
the number A four to eight zerowitness