Do you know who murdered Ronald Sanchez? In the early morning hours of September 7, 1997, the life of 16-year-old Hispanic male Ronald Sanchez was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence on a Las Vegas freeway. The teenager was behind the wheel of his sister's 1996 white Plymouth Neon, driving westbound on U.S. 95 with a friend in the passenger seat. They had just entered the freeway at Eastern Avenue, part of a two-car procession with another friend and Sanchez's 14-year-old brother following behind.
As they
traveled near the Las Vegas Boulevard exit, the sound of gunshots suddenly pierced the night. Reacting quickly, Sanchez accelerated in an attempt to flee the unseen assailant. His passengers ducked for cover, but a single bullet struck Sanchez in the back. As he began to lose consciousness, his friend in the passenger seat bravely took control of the vehicle, steering it to the shoulder of the road at the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 15 while simultaneously using a hand to apply the brake.
Tragically, despite the quick thinking of his friend and the efforts of emergency responders who transported him to the University Medical Center-Trauma Unit, Ronald Sanchez succumbed to his wound and was pronounced dead. The shooter remained unidentified, as no one in either vehicle was able to get a clear look at the person or persons responsible for the fatal attack. The case remains an unsolved homicide, with no suspects ever publicly identified or arrested in connection with the shooting. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department continues to seek information from the public regarding the incident.
