the day after christmas december 26th, 1980 at approximately 9:30 p.m. L. V. M. P. D. Officers responded to *** home on east bonanza road 25 year old Sandra Dee felice had been sexually assaulted and killed. The L. V. M. P. D. Homicide section collected numerous items of evidence at the scene and developed *** person of interest. But at the time none of the investigative efforts led to *** suspect. Metro solves the majority of murders last year. Their clearance rate was 90% but their goal no matter how long ago the crime was committed is to solve them all. Unfortunately, there are those cases that we can’t solve and it’s important that everyone realizes that we never forget. Earlier this year, we sat down with Lieutenant Ray Spencer who explained the cold case unit was beef Their efforts, adding three full time detectives and *** supervisor. It doesn’t matter who you are in this valley, we’re going to do absolutely everything we can to provide justice. They share the faces and stories of those whose murders are unsolved. Going back to the 1950s on their website From *** 17 year old student whose body was dumped on the side of the road to *** taxi driver found dead in his cab to an elderly woman found strangled in her home. These cases are cold but not closed, February of 2021 Sandra dee Felicia’s daughter who was three years old at the time of the murder and lived with her in that house but thankfully was at her grandparents residence on the night of the murder, called My Cold case detectives and asked for an update on the investigation that called decades later would turn her mother’s cold case red Hot. After the call, L. V. M. P. D. Cold case detectives submitted DNA, found under the victim’s fingernails for new testing and *** suspect finally identified. I’m hopeful that in some way, shape or form, this provides some sort of closure for the family and ultimately results in some type of closure and justice for Sandra.
Man arrested in connection with 42-year-old homicide cold case using new DNA technology
Updated: 4:39 AM CDT Nov 2, 2022
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a man in connection with the killing of 25-year-old Sandra DiFelice, nearly 42 years after her death.Paul Nuttall, 64, was arrested on charges of “open murder” with the use of a deadly weapon, sexual assault with the use of a deadly weapon and burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, police said in a statement Monday.In Nevada, a person accused of murder will generally be charged with “open murder,” meaning a general allegation of murder which includes, “Murder in the First Degree and all necessarily included offenses. These would include Murder in the Second Degree and possibly Voluntary Manslaughter and Involuntary Manslaughter based upon the specific facts of the case,” according to Clark County’s website.CNN has reached out to Nuttall’s public defender but has not yet heard back.DiFelice was allegedly brutally raped and murdered inside her home on Dec. 26, 1980, according to police.In February 2021, DiFelice’s daughter — who at the time of the incident was three years old and at her grandparents’ house — called cold case detectives at the police department to ask for an update on the investigation.Detectives reviewed the investigation, and “upon a review of that investigation, in conjunction with our DNA forensics lab, they were able to determine that there was additional evidence that could be submitted for processing using new DNA technology. During that processing of the evidence, DNA recovered from under the fingernails of Sandra DiFelice identified the suspect of Sandra DiFelice’s murder as Paul Nuttall,” Lt. Jason Johansson said during a news conference.Nuttall was originally named as a person of interest during the initial stages of the investigation, police said during the news conference. Authorities said his fingerprint was found in DiFelice’s home, but it was determined that Nuttall knew DiFelice’s roommate and that explained why his fingerprint was there, police said during the news conference.Nuttall is currently in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, according to online records.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a man in connection with the killing of 25-year-old Sandra DiFelice, nearly 42 years after her death.
Paul Nuttall, 64, was arrested on charges of “open murder” with the use of a deadly weapon, sexual assault with the use of a deadly weapon and burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, police said in a statement Monday.
In Nevada, a person accused of murder will generally be charged with “open murder,” meaning a general allegation of murder which includes, “Murder in the First Degree and all necessarily included offenses. These would include Murder in the Second Degree and possibly Voluntary Manslaughter and Involuntary Manslaughter based upon the specific facts of the case,” according to Clark County’s website.
CNN has reached out to Nuttall’s public defender but has not yet heard back.
DiFelice was allegedly brutally raped and murdered inside her home on Dec. 26, 1980, according to police.
In February 2021, DiFelice’s daughter — who at the time of the incident was three years old and at her grandparents’ house — called cold case detectives at the police department to ask for an update on the investigation.
Detectives reviewed the investigation, and “upon a review of that investigation, in conjunction with our DNA forensics lab, they were able to determine that there was additional evidence that could be submitted for processing using new DNA technology. During that processing of the evidence, DNA recovered from under the fingernails of Sandra DiFelice identified the suspect of Sandra DiFelice’s murder as Paul Nuttall,” Lt. Jason Johansson said during a news conference.
Nuttall was originally named as a person of interest during the initial stages of the investigation, police said during the news conference. Authorities said his fingerprint was found in DiFelice’s home, but it was determined that Nuttall knew DiFelice’s roommate and that explained why his fingerprint was there, police said during the news conference.
Nuttall is currently in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, according to online records.
