LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A warrant from the Henderson Police Department reveals that there was evidence connecting a suspect to a 21-year-old cold case since 2004.
Police said a homicide occurred on Sept. 4, 2003 around 2:15 p.m. in the 200 block of Gold Street. In the warrant, it details officers finding 28-year-old Theresa Romano face down inside the residence. She was observed with bruises around her body, especially her legs and ankles.
Officers noticed there were marks around her neck as if something was tied around it. When she was picked up by the coroner, scissors fell. Detectives believed the scissors were used to stab Romano in the neck multiple times.
During the investigation, officers said the apartment was “dirty” and it showed signs of a fight or a struggle.
Police gathered more evidence against the suspect, later identified as 47-year-old Ricky Lee Trader, nearly 2 weeks after Romano’s death.
On Sept. 17, 2003, police arrested Sherry Wright for unrelated charges, but spoke to detectives about the killing of Romano.
Wright told police she and Trader were friends and that he would come over for food and drugs. A couple of nights before the killing of Robert Wittwer, which Trader was convicted of, she said he went over to her house “spinning.”
“She wouldn’t shut up,” Trader said according to police. “I had to cut the [expletive].”
When Wright told him to leave, she said he started choking her when she wouldn’t give him drugs. He later apologized and left.
Henderson police went on to test items around Romano’s house such as a massager, lamp, multiple cans of soda and two blades of figure skates. The results came back in 2004 with Trader’s fingerprints.
By Sept. 2010, Trader was in prison in Ely for the killing of Wittwer. He told police he knew Theresa because of drugs and sex. He told police the last time he saw Romano was at a casino.
He accused Wright of lying and making those statements back in 2003. According to the warrant, he admitted to using drugs so he couldn’t remember much details.
At this point, police were unable to “positively identify” Trader as the suspect who killed Romano. The case would later be reviewed by the cold case homicide unit in 2021.
In Oct. 2021, detectives gathered more evidence that has since been tested. In May 2024, a report showed that the DNA on the scissors were Romano’s and finger nail clippings belonged to Trader.
DNA on an undergarment swab belonged to both Romano and Trader.
May 31 this year, police contacted Trader’s parole officer. He was released on parole after Wittwer’s death June 2021. When police showed him the updated DNA report, he excused the evidence saying it was possibly sweat and he “had a soda in the house.”
He continued to deny Wright’s statements against him and also denied speaking with officers when he was in prison and having a sexual relationship with Romano.
Police would still arrest Trader for the killing of Romano. On July 16, he was taken into custody in the Reno area. He was booked into the Washoe County Detention Center and extradited Monday.
He faces one count of open murder.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to call the Henderson Police Department at 702-267-4911, 3-1-1, or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or visit Crime Stoppers website. Tips directly leading to a felony arrest or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.
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