FBI: Thomas Steven Sanders, once thought dead, arrested in kidnapping 12-year-old Lexis Roberts, whose skeleton was found by hunters early last month.

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Thomas Steven Sanders AP – FILE - This undated file photo provided by the FBI in New Orleans shows Thomas Steven Sanders. The FBI …
By HOLBROOK MOHR, Associated Press Holbrook Mohr, Associated Press – Sun Nov 14, 10:28 pm ET

JACKSON, Miss. – A man who was declared legally dead 16 years ago in Mississippi was arrested Sunday in the kidnapping of a slain Las Vegas girl whose body was found in the woods of central Louisiana, the FBI said.

FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne said Thomas Steven Sanders was arrested early Sunday at a truck stop in Gulfport, Miss. The arrest capped a massive manhunt in a bizarre case that stretched across the country.

Court documents obtained by The Associated Press show Sanders abandoned his family in 1987 and was declared dead by a Mississippi court 1994. He lived unnoticed for years despite being arrested several times.

Sanders, 53, was wanted in the kidnapping 12-year-old Lexis Roberts, whose skeleton was found by hunters early last month. Her 31-year-old mother, Suellen Roberts, is missing. Officials say she is not a suspect in her daughter's death — and they hope she has not met with foul play.

Thorne said Sanders was alone when he was arrested at the Flying J Truck Stop by FBI agents and Harrison County sheriff's deputies. She would not release other details about his arrest.

Despite being declared dead, Sanders had been able to move about the country easily. Investigators know he lived in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia and Nevada. He worked as a laborer, a welder and a scrap metal collector.

According to records obtained by the AP, his arrests included possession of drug paraphernalia and a number of traffic and motor vehicle incidents, all in Tennessee. He was sentenced to two years in Georgia for simple battery. State and federal authorities have said some of the charges involved minors, but they refused to elaborate.

In Nevada, Sanders met Suellen Roberts and her daughter Lexis a few months ago, the slain girl's grandmother told investigators. The trio was in Williams and Flagstaff Ariz., and the Grand Canyon National Park over the Labor Day weekend, authorities said.

Hunters found Lexis' remains in Catahoula Parish Oct. 8. There was evidence she had been shot.

Officials said security cameras showed Sanders buying ammunition on Sept. 3 at a Walmart in Las Vegas. The bullets he bought were consistent with the weapon used to kill Lexis, police said.

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This man was thought to be dead over 15 years!!!
I think it would be wise to assume that others lost their lives after meeting him. He may be tied to these two missing persons, but I don't for one second think they are his only victims.

Who collected his life insurance after he was declared dead in 1994?

Thomas Steven Sanders, 53, wanted in connection with the abduction of Lexis Kaye Roberts, 12, of Las Vegas, was arrested about 7 a.m. Sunday at the Flying J Truck Stop in Gulfport, MIss., by Gulfport FBI agents of the Jackson Division and Harrison County sheriff’s deputies, according to a press release issued jointly by Catahoula Parish Sheriff James Kelly; U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, Western District of Louisiana; Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Division of the FBI; and David W. Welker, Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Division of the FBI.

The skeletal remains of 12-year-old Lexis were found in a wooded area north of Harrisonburg on Oct. 8 by hunters who reported the find to the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation that followed led to Sanders being charged with kidnapping.

Police say Lexis Kaye Roberts of Las Vegas was shot multiple times. Police believe her body had been in the woods at least a month. She was identified primarily through dental records on Oct. 26.

At a news conference on Nov. 4 in Alexandria, officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies talked about the case and showed a video of Sanders buying ammunition at a Las Vegas Walmart on Sept. 3.

Authorities tracked Sanders’ trail from Las Vegas to Catahoula Parish. En route, he was seen in Arizona with Lexis and her mother, Suellen Roberts, at tourist sites, including the Grand Canyon.

Suellen Roberts, 31, of Las Vegas is also listed as missing.

Roberts and Sanders were last seen Sept. 4 at the Bearizona Drive-Thru Wildlife Park off Interstate 40 in Williams, Ariz., according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, when Suellen Roberts spoke on the phone with a family member. Sanders was seen with Roberts and Lexis in September in a silver 2001 Kia Spectra four-door sedan.

They were identified by surveillance footage at the Grand Canyon on Sept. 5, but were not heard from again. Lexis’ body was discovered a little over one month later.

Sanders, whose nickname is “Spider,” is originally from McComb, Miss., and has relatives in Catahoula Parish. He had been living in Las Vegas, although his relatives believed he was dead. Sanders was legally declared dead in Mississippi by family members in 1994, according to authorities.

Suellen Roberts is still missing and was not with Sanders when he was apprehended.

The investigation continues, according to FBI Special Agent Sheila E. Thorne.

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Other agencies that have been involved in the investigation include Louisiana State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Service, the Office of Louisiana Attorney General and the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES), along with law enforcement throughout the country.

This is an older post prior to Sanders being found. It gives some insight into this case.

Posted: Nov 4, 2010 5:25 PM by MIKE MAGNOLI



Topics: New Details In, Lexis Roberts, Case: F.B.I. Looking For Mom's Boyfriend

Startling developments in the case of a girl found dead in Central Louisiana. Lexis Kaye Roberts- a 12 year old from Las Vegas was shot multiple times, her body dumped in the woods in Catahoula Parish. For weeks authorities could not even identify her skeletal remains.

The F.B.I. has new leads about the mysterious man the girl and her mother were traveling with. There is now a warrant for his arrest, meanwhile mom is still missing.

...

"What the media can help us with is getting his face out."

The F.B.I holding a press conference in Alexandria. Alexandria is the closest field office to Harrisonburg- where 12 year old Lexis Robert's body was dumped.

Here are the facts of the case, according to investigators:

Roberts and her mother Suellen are from Nevada-- mom, daughter and Thomas Sanders (mom's boyfriend) left for a Labor Day vacation in early Sept. They traveled to the Grand Canyon. Family members didn't see the two since they left for the trip. Then in early October the skeletal remains were found-- identified on Oct 26 as young Lexis.

Sheriff James Kelly of Catahoula told reporters: "In 1994, Thomas Steven Sanders was legally declared dead in the state of Mississippi by family members. However, we now know that he is still alive and has ties to several states across the country. "

Sanders is known to change his appearance and steal license plates, so he can travel undetected. He was last seen in a 2001 KIA Spectra with damage to the passenger side.

The F.B.I says agents have a warrant for Sanders for kidnapping. They don't know where Sue-Ellen is... if you can help solve this mystery, investigators want you to dial their tip line.
1-800 Call FBI: 1-800-225-5324.

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This is an older post prior to Sanders being found. It gives some insight into this case.

Posted: Nov 4, 2010 5:25 PM by MIKE MAGNOLI

Topics: New Details In, Lexis Roberts, Case: F.B.I. Looking For Mom's Boyfriend

Startling developments in the case of a girl found dead in Central Louisiana. Lexis Kaye Roberts- a 12 year old from Las Vegas was shot multiple times, her body dumped in the woods in Catahoula Parish. For weeks authorities could not even identify her skeletal remains.

The F.B.I. has new leads about the mysterious man the girl and her mother were traveling with. There is now a warrant for his arrest, meanwhile mom is still missing.

...

"What the media can help us with is getting his face out."

The F.B.I holding a press conference in Alexandria. Alexandria is the closest field office to Harrisonburg- where 12 year old Lexis Robert's body was dumped.

Here are the facts of the case, according to investigators:

Roberts and her mother Suellen are from Nevada-- mom, daughter and Thomas Sanders (mom's boyfriend) left for a Labor Day vacation in early Sept. They traveled to the Grand Canyon. Family members didn't see the two since they left for the trip. Then in early October the skeletal remains were found-- identified on Oct 26 as young Lexis.

Sheriff James Kelly of Catahoula told reporters: "In 1994, Thomas Steven Sanders was legally declared dead in the state of Mississippi by family members. However, we now know that he is still alive and has ties to several states across the country. "

Sanders is known to change his appearance and steal license plates, so he can travel undetected. He was last seen in a 2001 KIA Spectra with damage to the passenger side.

The F.B.I says agents have a warrant for Sanders for kidnapping. They don't know where Sue-Ellen is... if you can help solve this mystery, investigators want you to dial their tip line.
1-800 Call FBI: 1-800-225-5324.

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Nov. 24, 2012

Trial delayed for Thomas Steven Sanders

Thomas Steven Sanders, 55, the man who killed a Las Vegas mother and her daughter has had his trial delayed until next year.

Sanders, also known as “Spider” was considered legally dead in 1994 by a court in Mississippi. He walked out on his family in 1994.

Apparently he blended in quite well through the years, despite being “legally dead”..

He lived in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia and Nevada. Thomas Steven Sanders worked as a laborer, a welder and a scrap metal collector.

In Las Vegas, he worked as a nigh watchman at Pacific Mini Storage, near Pecos and Russell roads in Southeast Las Vegas. That is where he met Sue Ellen Roberts in Las Vegas.

Sue Ellen Roberts had fallen on tough times. She had lost her job and she and her 12 year old daughter, Lexi, were forced to move back into her mothers home, so she stored her furniture at the storage facility.

Sue Ellen hardly knew Thomas Steven Sanders. They had only known each other for approximately 2 months. He was substantially older than her and had no upper teeth and only 2 lower ones.

It is not know what qualities Suellen Roberts saw in him, however, Thomas Steven Sanders reportedly gave her expensive gifts and jewelry.

Her mother thought she was just “vulnerable”.

Whatever the attraction, she soon agreed to go on a weekend getaway with him for Labor Day, taking her daughter Lexi Roberts, with them.

They went to to Bearizona, a wildlife park near the Grand Canyon.

Sanders might have had his plan in place even before even leaving Las Vegas.

He was observed in a Las Vegas Walmart purchasing ammunition on September, 3, 2010. The ammunition purchased at Walmart, days before their trip, is consistent with the what was used to kill Lexi Roberts.

It was confirmed that Suellen, her daughter and Sanders were at Bearizona on September 4th. Suellen Roberts used her cell phone on September 5 and the signal was reportedly within 20 miles of Williams, AZ , near where Bearizona is located.

After that, there was no further activity.

Friends and family were worried and a manhunt soon ensued.

According to his confession given after he was caught, Sanders stopped in the desert, on their way back to Nevada, under the guise of letting Suellen shoot his .22 rifle. Instead, Sanders shot her in the head.

He likely wanted her daughter all along. There are allegations of past inappropriate contact with children, by his first wife in the 80′s, and some have said that he is a true pedophile and that he just hasn’t been caught for all of the offenses he committed.

After shooting Suellen Roberts, Sanders then took the hysterical Lexi Roberts with him.

Ultimately, he took the child to a wooded area in Louisiana, where he brutally ended her life.

Lexi wanted to live. Even after being shot 3 times in the head and once in the heart, the young child still didn’t die so Sanders cut her throat.

Her remains were found by hunters on October 8, 2010 in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

A month after Lexi’s body was found Thomas Sanders was arrested at a Flying J truck stop in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was driving Suellen’s Kia at the time of his arrest. Her body was found, November 15th, in Arizona

Sanders new trial date is August 26, 2013 in Louisiana. Both sides have reportedly agree to the delay in the trial date.


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August 24, 2013

JACKSON, Mississippi -- A man suspected in the kidnapping deaths of his girlfriend and her daughter wants a Louisiana judge to throw out his indictment based on the argument that blacks were systematically excluded from the grand jury pool.

Thomas Steven Sanders, who is white, is charged in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, La., in 12-year-old Lexis Roberts' kidnapping death. Hunters found her body in Catahoula Parish, La., in October 2010. Her mother's body was found later in Arizona. Both victims also are white.

In 1994, Sanders was declared dead in Mississippi after walking away from his family in the 1980s and disappearing. But he resurfaced in the more recent deaths.

Sanders was first indicted on a charge of kidnapping resulting in the child's death in Louisiana in November 2010. A superseding indictment was issued in January 2011, adding the charge of using a firearm in a violent crime. In August 2012, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty.

Sanders' lawyers said in a recent court filing that the indictment should be dismissed because blacks were underrepresented in the list of possible grand jurors used in the judicial district.

The jurors were drawn from a list of registered voters provided by Louisiana in 2007, but the state has historically failed to ensure proper black voter registration, the lawyers said.

To back up their argument, the lawyers cite a federal civil lawsuit in which a judge found that prior to April 2011, Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals, Department of Children and Family Services, and secretary of state violated the National Voter Registration Act. That lawsuit alleged that the agencies didn't always provide people with voter registration information. One of the plaintiffs was an "intermittently homeless" man who did not receive a voter registration form with his food stamps application. In January, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo said the agencies are now "substantially in compliance" with the federal law.

Stephanie Alvarez, the court's jury administrator, said the jury pool lists are updated every four years based on the voter registration provided by the state. She said the court began using a new list in October 2011. She declined to comment further because the judge had not ruled on the motion.

Sanders' lawyers said census information shows that blacks made up about 34 percent of the population in the area from which the jurors were drawn, but the 2007 voter list used for Sanders' grand jury was only 24 percent blacks.

"While Congress and the courts have generally accepted the use of voting lists as a source list for jurors as provided in the Jury Plan, this case evidences that voting lists must be supplemented to obtain a fair cross-section of the community," according to a filing by Sanders' lawyers, A.M. Stroud III and Rebecca Hudsmith.

The filing also says: "As a result, Mr. Sanders was deprived of a grand jury selected from a fair cross-section of the community in violation of the Sixth Amendment fair cross-section requirement, due process and equal protection and the Jury Plan and the Jury Selection and Service Act of 1968."

The lawyers did not immediately respond to phone messages.

U.S Attorney Stephanie A. Finley said in a statement that the court's scheduling order requires the government to file a response by Sept. 19, and prosecutors would do so. She had no additional comments, including on whether other cases would be affected if the judge sides with Sanders' lawyers.

Sanders walked away from his family in Mississippi in 1987, and they didn't hear for him for years. His parents, brother and ex-wife petitioned a Pike County, Miss., court in July 1994 to have him declared dead.

Sanders was living at a storage facility in Las Vegas when he met Suellen Roberts. A relationship developed, and they planned to take her daughter on a trip to Bearizona, a wildlife park near the Grand Canyon, for the Labor Day weekend in 2010, according to court documents.

On their way back to Nevada, Sanders pulled over in the desert "ostensibly so Suellen could shoot his .22 rifle," but instead he shot Roberts in the head, court records said.

"Sanders then loaded Lexis, who was in hysterics over seeing her mother murdered, into the car and traveled to Louisiana. He took Lexis to a wooded area and shot her in the back of the head and, when she didn't die, he shot her twice more in the head. When she still didn't die, he tried to shoot her through the heart. When she still didn't die, he cut her throat, killing her," according to a judge's review of Sanders' confession.

Authorities say Sanders made the confession to the child's death after being arrested in Gulfport, Miss., and directed them to the body of Suellen Roberts in Yavapai County, Ariz.

Sanders is scheduled for trial in August 2014. The trial had been scheduled for this year, but U.S. District Judge Dee Drell postponed it because he said federal budget cuts were hampering the publicly funded defense team.


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Unreal!