Sister’s DNA used to ID Las Vegas homicide victim missing since 1996
A Las Vegas homicide victim whose remains were found in 2001, five years after he went missing, has been identified because of genealogy research, police announced Thursday.
Richard Guarro, never returned home from a trip to Las Vegas he took on Nov. 18, 1996, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police Department. Using his sister’s DNA, police were able to identify Guarro’s remains.
Metro did not specify where Guarro was from.
Guarro’s remains were found July 7, 2001 near Interstate 15 and Apex Road, in northeast Las Vegas. The Clark County coroner’s office determined at the time that the person found died in a homicide, but they could not identify the remains.
A story from the Review-Journal in July 2001 said bones were found about five miles off the Interstate.
Othram Labs, a Houston-based company that uses DNA to solve cold cases, identified Guarro on Feb. 25, according to Metro.
“LVMPD Homicide Cold Case detectives are constantly reviewing cases, looking at advancements in technology, and reviewing tips in order to identify those responsible for taking another person’s life,” Metro wrote.
A spokesman for the lab said they also worked with Metro to identify Kim Bryant, who went missing in 1979, and determine who killed 14-year-old Stephanie Isaacson in 1989.
The investigation into Guarro’s DNA was funded by Audiochuck, a true crime podcast series started in 2017.
“Othram and LVMPD would like to express their deepest appreciation to Audiochuck for funding the full costs associated with laboratory testing and genealogical research,” the lab wrote in a statement. “Their generosity helped bring answers to his family and now will help lead to the answers surrounding his murder.”
Investigators are looking for anyone with information Richard Wayne Guarro to call Metro at 702-828-3521.
Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.
