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A man from Florida has been apprehended in connection with the execution-style murders of a couple, carried out in front of their young child, a case that has perplexed authorities for over 30 years. The arrest signifies a pivotal moment in resolving this longstanding mystery.
Federal officials detained 62-year-old William Antonio Solis in Tampa on Wednesday, as disclosed in a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The news marks a significant advance in the pursuit of justice for the victims.
“For more than 30 years, this Bronx double murder has haunted a family and the people of New York,” remarked U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in his statement. “That ends today.”
On July 21, 1993, Luis Guerrero and his wife, Danis Sime, were brutally murdered in their Bronx apartment, a crime that left a lasting scar on their family and community.
Known by aliases such as “La Vega” and “Vegano,” Solis faces charges of intentionally killing the couple in connection with a narcotics operation, as detailed by federal prosecutors. His arrest brings hope for closure to those affected by this tragedy.
Authorities allege on July 21, 1993, Solis and two co-conspirators plotted a robbery of Guerrero, a narcotics supplier, at his Bronx apartment.
Danis Sime and her husband Luis Guerrero were killed in an execution-style murder in their Bronx apartment in New York City on July 21, 1993. (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York)
After Solis and the co-conspirators entered the residence, they allegedly bound Guerrero, stole his drugs and lured Sime into the apartment to restrain her as well, prosecutors said.
Solis then allegedly shot both Guerrero and Sime in an execution-style killing in front of their 3-year-old child, according to authorities.
William Solis was arrested in connection with the 1993 cold case murder of a married couple in their Bronx apartment in New York City. (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York)
At the time of the alleged murders, the couple’s young son told police that a man had pointed a gun at his mother, covered her head with a pillowcase and “took her away,” according to the New York Daily News.
Neighbors reportedly found the child crying for his parents outside the apartment complex.
“He was screaming, ‘Daddy, Daddy,’” neighbor Chris Anton previously told the outlet. “He was scared.”
“I tried to ask [the boy] some questions and all he would say was, ‘El Otro took his mother and put a cover over her head,” Anton reportedly added. “I bought him pizza, ice cream – anything he wanted.”
At the time of the alleged murders, police were reportedly investigating Guerrero’s possible drug connection, with neighbors telling the New York Daily News the couple were “nice, quiet people” and “never bothered anyone.”
Authorities did not release additional details regarding how investigators were led to Solis.
If convicted, Solis faces the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison, according to the DOJ.
“As alleged, William Solis spent decades hiding in plain sight more than a thousand miles from where he viciously murdered the Guerreros in front of their young child,” HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso said.
“This arrest is the result of years of meticulous investigative work by dedicated special agents and task force officers who refused to let this case go cold,” Alfonso added.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.