Homeowner kills intruder who beat victim, wife

Robert Macy

Monday, May 15, 2000 | 12:04 p.m.

Police continued to search Monday for clues in a home invasion that ended when one of the victims escaped and stabbed a robber to death.

A second robber fled and was being sought by authorities.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said the incident began about 4:30 a.m. Saturday when two armed men broke into a home as the occupants slept.

The names of the husband and wife who were victims of the robbery were not released.

Petersen said the couple did not know their attackers.

"We don't know if the suspects had any information about the victims or why they might have been targets," Petersen said Monday.

The robbers rousted the two from bed, pistol-whipped them and then bound their wrists and ankles with duct tape and plastic restraints, he said.

Petersen said the husband and wife were held for more than two hours while the two robbers ransacked the house and carried valuables to a waiting car. He said an undetermined amount of money and jewelry was taken.

While the two were ransacking the house, the husband was able to free himself with a knife. He then attacked one of his assailants, stabbing him several times in the chest.

The robber was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified Monday by the Clark County Coroner's office as Yosvani Ramon Lopez, 24, of Las Vegas.

The second robber re-entered the house during the struggle, then fled.

The husband grabbed one of the robber's guns and fired at the fleeing car, possibly hitting the rear window. Neighbors said the fleeing car was a red late model Ford Mustang.

Police are looking for a Hispanic male in his late-20s to early 30s, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, with a medium to stocky build and closely cut hair. He was wearing baggy blue jeans with large pockets, a black jacket and a beige fisherman's hat.