Murder from 27 Years Ago

Another "Cold Case" Solved

Since the PAO formed its Cold Case Unit five years ago, we have obtained 17 convictions on murders that defendants thought they had gotten away with.  The latest involves a defendant named Robert Sauil Besabe, who was convicted last month of two counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Attempted First Degree Murder for attempting to kill his former girlfriend, Eleanor Velasco, and for fatally shooting Velasco's friend Carolina Montoya, who was eight months pregnant, and causing the death of her unborn child back back in 1982.

At the time of the crime, 27 years ago, the defendant had just broken up with Velasco.  Her friend, Carolina Montoya, was giving her a ride home.  Along they way, they stopped to give the defendant a ride as well.  Once he was inside the car, the defendant pulled a gun, ordered Montoya to stop the car, then shot her in the head.  He fired once at Velasco, but missed her.   Montoya's child was later delivered, but died shortly thereafter.  Montoya died of her wounds a month later.

After committing this violent crime, the defendant fled Washington State and moved to California, where he successfully assumed a new identity.  In California, the defendant was convicted of manslaughter for killing a man during a traffic dispute, and was deported to the Philippines.  California officials never discovered the defendant's true identity so they were unaware of the murder warrant from Washington State.

The defendant was added to the FBI's most-wanted list for the murder of Montoya and her child, but he remained undetected in the Philippines until 2007, when he tried to apply for a new U.S. passport.  U.S. officials discovered his true identity and the outstanding warrant and arrested him.   He now faces nearly 58 years in prison for this crime.

This case would not have been brought to justice without the hard work and dedication of King County Sheriff's Detectives Robin Cleary and Earl Tripp (ret.) and "Cold Case" Senior DPAs, Kristin Richardson and Cindi Port.   To read more about this case, click this link.