NV NV - Monica DaSilva, 7, abducted and murdered in Reno, 1990 - connected to others?

[Kat]

Cold case investigators looking at possible link between Reno, Vegas child murders

http://www.rgj.com/article/20110728/...cal%20News%7Cs

2:08 PM, Jul. 28, 2011

Nearly 21 years ago, 7-year-old Monica DaSilva was snatched from her Reno bedroom by an intruder while her younger brother slept.

2 page article.

It gives the outlines of how the girls went missing and where they were located deceased. Monica was taken from her bedroom on Sept. 23, 1990 her bones were later found by a family hunting for rocks in Oct. of 1990.

On Nov. 23, 1986, April Rhodes went to sleep in her ground-level North Las Vegas bedroom on North Statz Street where she shared a bunk bed with her brother. She was found to be missing the next morning and later discovered in a nearby vacant apartment storage room.

The article doesn't state what evidence is leading them in the direction that these two might be connected in someway.

[Wholehearted]

Both girls were abducted from their bedrooms, while their brothers slept. It seems so risky, from the perspective of the killer, to abduct children in this way. Monica's brother was too young to pretend to be asleep or to be threatened into silence (I'm thinking of Elizabeth Smart's sister and Polly Klaas's friend, here). I guess what I'm saying is, how would you know a toddler wouldn't wake up and cry? Maybe it was just a crazy risk the killer took anyway? I'm wondering if there have been any other similar cases in the meantime.

Either way, it's so disturbing. I hope they're close to finding this guy.

[Ambercat]

Originally Posted by Wholehearted

Both girls were abducted from their bedrooms, while their brothers slept. It seems so risky, from the perspective of the killer, to abduct children in this way. Monica's brother was too young to pretend to be asleep or to be threatened into silence (I'm thinking of Elizabeth Smart's sister and Polly Klaas's friend, here). I guess what I'm saying is, how would you know a toddler wouldn't wake up and cry? Maybe it was just a crazy risk the killer took anyway? I'm wondering if there have been any other similar cases in the meantime.

Either way, it's so disturbing. I hope they're close to finding this guy.

Monica's brother was five years old at the time; April's brother was 10. I wonder if the murder used something like chloroform or something of that nature to make sure that the brother stays asleep?

I would like to know why the screen was off of the window (who's idea it was)? Somehow, after reading the article, I have the belief that the killer was associated with April Rhodes building (either in maintenance or another resident) because how else would he know that particular apartment where he killed her was vacant at the time.

[Wholehearted]

Originally Posted by Ambercat

Monica's brother was five years old at the time; April's brother was 10. I wonder if the murder used something like chloroform or something of that nature to make sure that the brother stays asleep?

I would like to know why the screen was off of the window (who's idea it was)? Somehow, after reading the article, I have the belief that the killer was associated with April Rhodes building (either in maintenance or another resident) because how else would he know that particular apartment where he killed her was vacant at the time.

Huh, you're right about Monica's brother being five. For some reason, I glossed over that, because of where it said one of her favorite things to do was taking care of him. Seemed like something you'd say about a much younger child.

I agree, it does seem like he would have had a lot of familiarity and comfort regarding the apartment, to be so brazen.

About the screen, I went back and forth trying to interpret what "left open and its screen removed" meant. I thought it meant that's what the killer did, but it definitely could be by the residents. Unclear writing.