Family remembers victim in decades-old cold case, suspect in custody
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas valley family remembered the victim of decades-old violence Thursday, reflecting on the path to closure at hand as law enforcement officials announced an arrest in the nearly 21-year-old case.
Gliding slowly on the ice rink, a young mother helped teach her 2-year-old daughter how to figure skate. It’s a memory her daughter still holds onto following her mother’s long-unsolved death.
On Sept. 4, 2003, Henderson police responded to the 200 block of Gold Street, near Water Street and West Lake Mead Parkway, due to a report that a woman, later identified as Theresa Romano, was deceased.
“I remember that day because I was home sick,” Lori Farrell-Phillips, a neighbor to Romano, said. “I heard a truck take off, like a squeal, out of the driveway.”
Nearly two decades have passed since that day. For Farrell-Phillips, examining her former home helped to return some memories.
“They had black garbage bags in the yard, and there was an officer sitting up front for like a week,” she said. “It was scary.”
Henderson residents told 8newsnow.com they recalled seeing a young girl standing near the house as police searched the building and worried about the fate of the possible daughter.
The area would be struck with a second murder the same year, that time on the opposite side of the neighborhood. Henderson police arrested Ricky Lee Trader, who was later found guilty of murder with a deadly weapon.
On July 16, Henderson Police detectives announced Trader, who was paroled in 2021 and living in Reno, had been named in connection to Romano’s death. Trader was arrested and transported on July 22, where he was booked on open murder.
Farrell-Phillips said she was grateful Henderson police have a suspect in custody following two murders in the neighborhood from the same year.
“I know that they’re right up the street and they take care good care of us,” she said. “I think [the family] has closure.”
Patricia Hinger, one of Romano’s two daughters, said she was thankful law enforcement didn’t forget about her mom.
Hinger only had a few memories of her mother and relied on her family to fill in the gaps, but one moment was unforgettable—learning to figure skate on the ice with her mom.
“When I was about two years old, she put me on ice skates down at Pickwick Ice rink in California,” Hinger said. “I started taking lessons when I was about seven years old after she had passed.”
Skating at the Pickwick Ice rink at the age of seven Hinger was surprised the people there still remembered her mom.
“I took up figure skating in her memory,” she said. “It was something that I could do to be close to her since she wasn’t here anymore.”
Sherri Scott, Hinger’s aunt, shared stories of Romano, who said the young mother was turning around her life after overcoming difficulties and who always dearly loved her daughters.
Romano’s other daughter Courtney, who lived at the Henderson address with her, took their mother’s death the hardest, according to the family.
“It’s been a lot harder on her because she was one or two years older than me when this happened,” Hinger said. “I’m just thankful that she was able to get the closure that she needs from all of this.”
The memory of Romano still lives on as Hinger told 8 News Now she had recently given birth to a child, named after her grandmother.
“I actually named my daughter after her,” she said. “Theresa.”
Down Gold Street, near Romano’s previous address, the family learned an ice rink had recently been built in the neighborhood—the significance not lost.
“That’s a sign from Theresa,” Scott said.
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