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A couple robs $3 million from a Las Vegas armored car company.
CASE DETAILS Las Vegas: the city where gamblers risk it all for a chance at a big score. Twenty-one year-old Heather Tallchief seemed like any other young woman trying to make a start. But Heather had a much bigger plan. She was going to get rich… quick.  Roberto Solis, mug shot On Friday, October 1, 1993, Heather was working at her job as a driver for the Loomis Armored Car Company in Las Vegas. She and her two co-workers were responsible for refilling the ATM’s of several local casinos with cash. The van was loaded with over $3 million in preparation for a busy weekend. The final ATM was near the casino’s side entrance. Heather dropped off her co-workers. While they went inside to refill the ATMs, she was supposed to drive around to another entrance to pick them up. According to Scott Stewart, one of Heather’s co-workers, that’s not what happened:
 Solis and Tallchief planned the perfect crime Later, a check of the surveillance camera showed Heather simply drove away from the casino and never returned. She and the money had disappeared. Special Agent Grant D. Ashley, of the Las Vegas F.B.I., says the heist was premeditated:
Heather Tallchief had once worked as a volunteer nurse and had no criminal record, so why would she commit such an audacious crime? As police combed through her apartment, answers began to surface.  They chartered a private jet to Denver Two distinct sets of fingerprints were found. Heather had not acted alone. The prints were identified as those of convicted murderer Roberto Solis. Solis had a record for shooting and killing an armored car guard during an unsuccessful robbery. According to the FBI, Tallchief and Solis met in San Francisco, began a relationship, and planned the perfect crime. Two hours after Heather and the armored car disappeared from the casino, an unusual couple arrived at a small local airport. They had chartered a private jet to Denver, Colorado.  Investigators found two forged passports Retired FBI Agent Joseph Dushek says it was Solis and Tallchief in disguise:
Three days later, the FBI traced Heather and Solis to Denver. But by then, it was too late. Denver had only been a stopover. Clues seemed to lead in all directions: Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It seemed the couple had covered their tracks well. The FBI had no solid leads.  Heather Tallchief surrendered Two weeks later, investigators discovered the armored van in a commercial building Solis had rented for a phony business. According to Special Agent Grant D. Ashley, it was all part of the master plan:
Inside the building were packing materials. They confirmed the FBI’s suspicions that the money had been shipped to some unknown destination. The trail went cold. Law enforcement could find no trace of Heather Tallchief or Roberto Solis.  Roberto Solis Then, in September 2005, Tallchief appeared at the Las Vegas courthouse and turned herself in. She claimed that she had been brainwashed by Solis and only committed the crime because she feared for her life. She said she left Solis when she learned that she was pregnant with his child. Her reason for turning herself in was to give her ten year-old son a chance at a normal life. After 12 years in hiding, Heather Tallchief was sentenced to 63 months in prison. When the judge read her verdict, she told reporters that at last she felt free. Heather Tallchief served her time and has been released. Roberto Solis is still at large. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eleven with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
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John Smith
Isn’t the statute of limitations up for this crime?
Anonymous
I am an investigator, and remember this guy’s murdering an armored car guard on Market St, in San Francisco, Ca. So he serves prison time and turns around and commits the same crime? I was living there at the time of his 1969 robbery/murder. Is there any kind of a reward posted for his apprehension?
unsolved
Al – we are not aware of any reward at this time. http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/roberto-ignacio-solis/view
Jerry
Heather’s lawyer told her there was a reward out for her before she surfaced so there may still be a reward for Solis. I am hoping to find him in Europe, where he was last seen, in order to get a reward. I always have the FBI and LVPD phone numbers in my wallet.
kerry
Yeah i have read those. .cause i thought maybe it was. .im still searching. .means a lot to me this story. .i want to find it. To keep it.i remember laughing cause the actor they used for my father. We thought was funny the hold up no. I think it was greenpoint savings bank at the time. The theifffrom philly area or Pittsburgh. But they only did reactment for long island armored guard hold up.he was robbed at gunpoint with own gun walking in vault. Thank u..if u do ever come across plz let me know. I won’t give up I’m determined
kerry
My father was in a hold up at a bank in great neck long island back in the 90’s the robber held my dad up with my dads gun. My father worked for cdc systems at the time aka andover armored truck services. Anyhow unsolved mysteries aired a story on it.the man was caught in Florida on other charges related and murder i beleive. I cant seem to find the story anywhere it hit news and tv plz if anyone can help. My dads robbers name was daniel or something. Id aporeciate it. Thnx much
unsolved
Hi Kerry – we have searched our database and haven’t found a story with those details. If you have any more information on the case, please email us at unsolved@unsolved.com