2 jailed in Louisiana in death of Las Vegas woman found in travel bag
Around the time a 71-year-old Las Vegas woman was killed in August, court documents show, someone at an east valley 7-Eleven used her Chase debit card to buy an 85-cent beer.
It took more than a month, but the body of Young Suk Sanchez was found stuffed in a travel bag and hidden in an underground vault, about 1.5 miles away from the 7-Eleven.
On Tuesday, Las Vegas police said two people they believe were involved in the slaying had been jailed in Louisiana.
Veronica Houck, 23, and Jamar Webb, 33, were arrested in Minden, La., on warrants issued in the killing of Sanchez, according to Las Vegas police. Houch and Webb are a couple, police said.
Metropolitan Police Department investigators believe the pair kidnapped Sanchez, according to court papers. Houck then smothered Sanchez around Aug. 20 by putting a bag over her head, police said.
Investigators believe Houck knew Sanchez, but they didn't say in court documents how they were connected.
Sanchez' body was found Sept. 22 in an underground vault, when a Las Vegas Valley Water District crew was checking meters at The Suites, in the 4800 block of Boulder Highway, near the intersection at Flamingo Road.
Houck faces one one count each of murder, robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Webb faces one count each of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, possession of a credit card without owner's consent, and two counts each of fraudulent use of a credit card.
Metro is awaiting the couple's extradition.
Webb faced a first-degree murder charge in 1999, according to court records in Webster Parish, Louisiana, where he was arrested in the Sanchez case. More details on that case were not immediately available.
A woman with the same name as Houck has faced felony theft, identity theft, unauthorized use of an access card and check fraud charges from 2011 to 2013 in Webster Parish.
The Clark County coroner's office has determined Sanchez' official manner of death.
Reporter Colton Lochhead contributed. Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites
