Suspect in 2 L.A. Slayings Arrested at Las Vegas Motel

A man wanted in connection with two Los Angeles killings was arrested Tuesday when officers rousted him and a girlfriend from a Las Vegas motel.

Roberto Franklin Ramirez, 21, came out of the Thunderbird Motel after police called his room and told him to surrender.

Ramirez was wanted on a murder warrant in the Feb. 14, 1998, killing of Jose Guerra in Hollywood, and for questioning in the June 6 slaying of Teresa del Rio, a 20-year-old Glendale Community College student.

The Guerra killing was a drive-by shooting, said Los Angeles Police Officer Guillermo Campos. Del Rio was shot by a pedestrian as she was driving in Silver Lake.

Ramirez and his girlfriend, identified by police as Nikki Shamdasani, left their room after police made two calls warning them to come out.

Las Vegas Police Sgt. Al Cervantes said he was notified by Los Angeles police that the couple might be in Las Vegas, where the woman was working as an exotic dancer.

Cervantes said he began making the rounds to motels, looking for a car belonging to the couple. He found the car about 8 a.m. Tuesday, and police set up a stakeout with seven officers, waiting for the couple to leave.

After more than two hours, a call was made to the room telling the couple to exit. A second call was made a minute later when they first refused to leave.

The couple surrendered as officers with guns drawn and wearing bulletproof vests took cover behind parked cars in the motel lot. Numerous guests left their rooms to watch the action, officials said.