By Trend News Line 2024-04-02 15:55:28.
On March 3, 2000, a shocking incident unfolded outside a Ross Dress for Less store in Henderson, Nevada. Multiple 911 callers reported a shooting involving an armored truck, which left two security guards dead. The city of Henderson, located just 15 miles south of Las Vegas, was rocked by the violent crime.
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The two guards who lost their lives in the incident were identified as Gary Dean Prestidge II, 23, and Richard Sosa, 47. Authorities from the Henderson police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI joined forces to investigate the case. It was revealed that there had been a series of three armored car robberies leading up to the fatal shooting at the Ross store.
Witnesses at the scene described a terrifying exchange of gunfire between the guards and the armed suspects. The robbers managed to escape with just $4,000, despite there being $69,000 of currency in the bag that the armored truck guard had taken. Evidence collected at the crime scene indicated that at least one shoulder weapon was used by the robbers.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects had stolen two vans, one of which was used as a getaway vehicle. The stolen maroon car used in the crime was reported to have been taken from a rental car facility. The FBI had been investigating similar heists involving stolen vehicles in the past, but the suspects in this case did not match the descriptions from previous robberies.
Subsequent autopsies showed that Sosa had been shot in the right temple and the chest, while Prestidge had been shot seven times. The brutal nature of the crime left investigators searching for answers. A police sketch of a suspect was released to the public in hopes of generating leads.
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In a surprising turn of events, a robbery at the Bellagio Las Vegas Hotel and Casino led authorities to a major breakthrough in the case. Jose Vigoa, the FBI’s prime suspect in the string of armored car heists, was identified through surveillance footage from the Bellagio robbery. Vigoa and his crew, including his brothers-in-law Oscar Cisneros and Pedro Duarte, were linked to several casino heists involving armored cars.
After a high-speed chase and a dramatic arrest, Vigoa, Cisneros, and Duarte were taken into custody. Cisneros later confessed to his involvement in the Ross store robbery, leading to the arrests of Suarez and Duarte. Cisneros’ DNA matched blood found at the crime scene, and weapons recovered linked the suspects to multiple crimes.
Sadly, Cisneros took his own life in jail, while Vigoa and his accomplices were sentenced for their roles in the heists and murders. Vigoa received four life terms, while Suarez and Duarte were handed significant prison sentences for their involvement in the crimes.
The tragic events that unfolded on that fateful day in Henderson left two families mourning the loss of their loved ones. Gary Dean Prestidge II and Richard Sosa, the two brave guards who lost their lives in the line of duty, were hailed as heroes for their actions during the robbery. Their families remember them fondly and honor their memory as true heroes.
The shocking case, featured in the “High-Stakes Heist” episode of Sin City Murders, sheds light on the dangerous world of armored car robberies and the devastating impact they can have on those involved. Tune in to Oxygen on Sundays at 7/6c or watch on Peacock to learn more about this gripping story..
– Gary Prestidge Richard Sosa shot dead outside Vegas-area store
– Gary Prestidge Richard Sosa murdered outside Vegas-area store.
