Boulder City Police hope sketch provides answers in robbery, rape

Cathy Scott

Tuesday, May 20, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Boulder City Police are hoping a composite drawing will help identify a gunman who robbed and raped a night clerk at a Super 8 Motel.

The employee was tending the front desk of the motel at 704 Nevada Highway about 3:10 a.m. Monday when a man entered the office and asked her a question, police said. The man then walked out of the office.

A few minutes later, he returned with a gun, jumped on the counter and, pointing the black semiautomatic pistol at the clerk, ordered her over to the cash register drawer. He then had her open the cash drawer and he removed an undisclosed amount of money.

Still holding the victim at gunpoint, the suspect ordered her to the back office area where he sexually assaulted her, police said. No other employees were on duty at the time.

"The suspect told the victim, 'I know where you work and live, so don't tell anyone,'" Boulder City Chief David Mullin said. "The suspect told the victim to count to 100 before moving, and then he left."

The assailant was seen leaving in a two-door maroon car.

"This is somebody we don't believe is a local," Mullin said. "He was probably either passing through or from the Las Vegas area."

A police artist has drawn a composite sketch of the suspect, described as a black male between 17 and 27 years old, 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds. He has a stocky build, short black hair and in-grown hair bumps on his face.

He was last seen wearing dark-colored denim pants, wide at the bottom, white tennis shoes and a dark-blue mesh knit jersey, with gray trim on the sleeves and the name "Smith" on the back of what the witness said may have been a Dallas Cowboys football jersey.

The victim was taken to University Medical Center for treatment and later released.

Police are asking anyone with information about the crime to call police at 293-9224.