Las Cruces Bowling Alley massacre
| Las Cruces bowling alley massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Las Cruces, New Mexico |
| Coordinates | 32°18′37″N 106°46′01″W / 32.3102°N 106.7669°WCoordinates: 32°18′37″N 106°46′01″W / 32.3102°N 106.7669°W |
| Date | February 10, 1990 |
|
Attack type
|
Mass murder, robbery, arson |
| Weapons | .22 caliber pistol |
| Deaths | 4 |
|
Non-fatal injuries
|
3 |
| Perpetrators | Unknown |
|
No. of participants
|
2 |
| Motive | Robbery/Unknown |
The Las Cruces bowling alley massacre occurred in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in February 1990. Seven people were shot, four fatally, by two robbers at the Las Cruces Bowl at 1201 East Amador Avenue. The case is currently unsolved.
On the morning of February 10, 1990, the bowling alley's manager, 34-year-old Stephanie C. Senac, was in her office preparing to open the business with her 12-year-old daughter Melissia Repass and her 13-year-old friend Amy Houser, who were planning to supervise the alley's day care. The alley's cook, Ida Holguin, was in the kitchen when two men entered through an unlocked door. One pulled a .22 caliber pistol on Holguin and ordered her into Senac's office, where she, Repass, and Houser were already being held by the other gunman.
The gunmen ordered the women to lie down while taking approximately $4,000 to $5,000 from the bowling alley's safe. The men then shot each victim several times. Soon after, Steve Teran, the alley's 26-year-old mechanic, entered, having been unable to find a babysitter for his two daughters, two-year-old Valerie Teran and six-year-old Paula Holguin (no relation to Ida), intending to drop them at the alley's day care. Not seeing anyone in the alley, however, Teran entered Senac's office and stumbled onto the crime scene. The gunmen overpowered him before shooting him and his two daughters. They then set the office on fire by igniting some papers before leaving the alley.
Houser, Teran, and his two daughters were killed. Repass, despite being shot five times, called 9-1-1 on the office phone, allowing emergency services to respond immediately and saving her life along with her mother's and Holguin's.
The event is currently a cold case.
A full-length documentary film called A Nightmare in Las Cruces was released on the 20th anniversary of the massacre. It uses actual crime scene video, pictures and interviews with family members. Filmmaker Charlie Minn hopes it will "move someone to come forward with fresh information and break the case". Since its release, more tips have been reported to the local police.
Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times said:
The Los Angeles Weekly stated:
Andrew Barker of Variety reported:
Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic wrote:
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Wikipedia