Woman, 95, dies after attempted purse-snatching

By Jackie Valley

Published Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010 | 1:29 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010 | 1:50 p.m.

A 95-year-old woman who was shoved to the pavement during an attempted purse-snatching in late July has died from her injuries, Metro Police said.

Bertha Meier, from Las Vegas, had been in critical condition since the July 26 incident at a Smith's grocery store parking lot in the 4800 block of Desert Inn Road. Police now are working the case as a homicide investigation.

Officials said a woman approached Meier from behind and tried to grab her purse, but the victim put up a struggle to keep her purse. The would-be robber eventually shoved Meier to the ground without taking her purse, police said.

At a press conference last week, Sgt. Tom Melton of Metro's robbery unit said the fall to the pavement caused Meier to break her hip and suffer a small concussion.

After the attack, police said the attempted robber fled with another woman in a dark blue, two-door, sub-compact car.

The attacker was described as a white woman, 20 to 24 years old, 5-feet-5-inches tall and 120 to 140 pounds. She was wearing a light brown dress. The driver was also a white woman with long brown hair, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call Metro's robbery unit at (702) 828-3591 or Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.