Man brutally attacked 73-year-old woman, left her for dead, sheriff says

PAHRUMP, Nev. (KVVU/Gray News) – A man beat and tied up a 73-year-old woman, telling her she was going to die before sexually assaulting her and kidnapping her, according to an arrest warrant.

The Nye County Sheriff’s Office said Ryan Sanders is facing multiple felony charges for the attack on the woman Nov. 21. Sanders went on the run and was finally arrested Wednesday.

According to an arrest warrant, the victim went to bed in her home in Pahrump around 10:30 p.m. Nov. 21 when she was awoken by an unknown male sitting on her chest, strangling her and saying she was going to die. That man was later identified as Sanders, the sheriff’s office said.

Sanders was wearing a black mask, black top, black gloves, dark pants and tan boots. According to police, Sanders sexually assaulted the woman multiple times inside her home while also rummaging through her things, “demanding to know where the money and guns are in the house.”

Eventually, Sanders forced the woman into the trunk of her Chrysler sedan, the report said. Sanders then took the victim’s Honda and moved the victim from the Chrysler to the Honda before loading many of her belongings, such as personal documents, a computer and her purse, into the car, the warrant said.

Sanders drove to multiple locations, including Desert View Hospital and a Mexican restaurant, all while the woman was in the trunk, the warrant said. Officials said Sanders picked up a second man, identified as 31-year-old Richard Duncan, at the hospital and kept driving. Duncan has also since been arrested.

Sanders eventually drove back to the victim’s residence, the warrant said. Sanders then removed the victim from her vehicle and covered the Honda with a tarp before forcing the woman into an abandoned RV nearby, the warrant said. Sanders then reportedly tried to sexually assault the woman again.

Sanders put a plastic bag over the woman’s head and taped it, then bound the woman in rope and covered her with various items in the RV, the warrant said. The report said Sanders then hit the woman in the head with a heavy object, causing the woman to lose consciousness, and left her for dead.

The woman woke up around 2:30 p.m. the next day and sought help from a neighbor. The woman was taken to University Medical Center. Her current condition is unknown.

Police said Sanders later attempted to sell the victim’s Honda and Chrysler, claiming he was “selling them for someone else.”

Sanders was arrested in Pahrump on Wednesday after police issued a warrant for his arrest. Jail records show he is being held at the Nye County Detention Center. Bond information was not available.

Investigators are calling the crime a revenge attack, not a random attack. Detectives said there is a link between Sanders and a family member of the victim but did not elaborate further.

Sanders’ 13-year-old son, who was with him at the time of Sanders’ arrest, was located in good condition. He is now in the custody of Child and Family Services, according to a post on the Nye County Sheriff’s Facebook page.

Pahrump is located about 65 miles west of Las Vegas.