Man beat, sexually assaulted elderly woman before going on the run, NCSO says

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A man beat and tied up an elderly woman in Pahrump, telling her she was going to die before sexually assaulting her and kidnapping her, according to a warrant by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.

Ryan Sanders is facing multiple felony charges after the incident involving a 73-year-old woman on Nov. 21. Sanders went on the run and was arrested Nov. 30.

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, NCSO 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 while 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, before eventually driving back to the victim’s residence, all while the woman was in the trunk, 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.

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.

Police said Sanders later attempted to sell the Honda and Chrysler, claiming he was selling them for someone else. Sanders was arrested in Pahrump on Nov. 30 after police issued a warrant for his arrest.